After a delay of almost 10 years, the transport department is all set to make high security registration plates (HSRP) mandatory in the Capital. With five safety features — chromium base chakra hologram, India in-scripted hot stamping foil, unique laser code of seven digits, self-destructive windshield sticker and non-removable snap lock — HSRP would make vehicles safer against theft. A consortium of Rosemarta Technologies and Utsav Safety Systems will begin work on installation of HSRP in all new vehicles from April 30. Replacing number plates of older vehicles with high security plates will begin on June 15.
“The company will have to open 13 centres close to each of the 13 regional transport offices to install the plates. The owner of the vehicle will have to deposit the money first and come back for installation after three to four days. The installation will be done in presence of a representative of RTO,” said a senior transport official. According to transport department officials, high security plates for two-wheelers will cost R69, while for cars the cost would be Rs 214.
The installation process will be completed in 2014. The new system is expected to check use of fake number plates as these number plates break if anyone tries to remove or replace them. It will also put an end to the use of fancy number plates. According to officials, the company will sign a concession agreement with the department in the next few days and will roll out a pilot project at some of the centres from April 15.
“But it has to start installing plates in all new vehicles from April 30,” the official added. The decision to introduce HSRPs in the country was taken by the Union ministry of road transport and highways way back in March 2001. But the states continued to defer it. The Supreme Court, in its latest order, has fixed April 30, 2012 as the last date of implementation of the scheme. Delhi has more than seven million registered vehicles. More than 1,300 new vehicles are added every day.
The Ghaziabad regional transport department has started a project to roll out high security number plates in the district. The scheme, meant to help curb vehicle thefts, will also be implemented in Noida. The Centre made high security number plates mandatory in 2001. But this February, following the states’ failure to implement the scheme, the Supreme Court had pulled them up. The plan stands for all vehicles — old and new. The new number plates are tamper-proof — they break at any attempt to change them. The information provided on them is comprehensive — details of vehicle and owner as per the registration certificate — all in a neat laser code. Plus, there will be a country code and a hologram to stop duplication. “New vehicles will come fitted with the new number plates,” said regional transport officer Lalji Chaudhary. “As for old vehicles, registrations are open and owners will have to change the plates within two years.”