Maharashtra: 10 lakh new vehicles plying without HSRPs

Nearly 10 lakh new vehicles have hit roads in Maharashtra in the last five years without the mandatory high-security registration plates (HSRPs).Among the 10 lakh new vehicles without HSRPs, many are government-owned. The government has made HSRPs mandatory for vehicles registered before April 1, 2019, to curb vehicle theft and bring uniformity in identification, placing the onus on manufacturers to install them before handing the vehicles to customers. It extended the deadline to fit HSRPs till April 30 this year.The state government has also mandated HSRPs for an estimated 2.10 crore older vehicles registered before April 1, 2019.
An internal review conducted recently on the fitment of HSRPs indicated that 1.05 crore out of 1.15 crore registered vehicles have been fitted with HSRPs, while 9.98 lakh vehicles are plying without them, officials said.This prompted the Maharashtra Transport Commissioner's office to direct RTOs to launch a special drive last month against vehicles registered after April 2019 but still operating without HSRPs, commonly known as 'IND' or 'INDIA' number plates.
Made of a rare aluminum alloy, HSRPs contain a retro-reflective film with the inscription 'India,' a chromium-based Ashok Chakra hologram, the hot-stamped letters "IND" in blue, and a unique 10-digit laser-engraved serial number, making them tamper-proof. When fitted using a snap lock, the HSRP gets damaged if forcibly removed.The HSRP rule mandates that every vehicle must have the chromium-based hologram sticker affixed to the inner side of the windshield, specifying registration details.
Maharashtra's total vehicle number exceeds 4 crore. After a prolonged tendering process, the transport department appointed three companies for HSRP installation. The actual fitment of HSRPs to older vehicles began in December 2024. But, the HSRP fitment process for older vehicles has been mired in controversy over the issue of pricing. The opposition parties have alleged that a high fee was being charged for HSRPs, a charge denied by the Maharashtra government, citing the prices were on par with the other states.
Many newly registered vehicles without HSRPs are instead sporting fancy number plates with digits arranged to spell words in English or Devanagari script. Several number plates have very small letters and digits -- except for the last four numbers -- to evade traffic cameras on highways and junctions. Another common violation is improper HSRP installation. The plates should be fastened with non-removable snap locks, but many dealers are fitting them with screws or bolts. In some cases, vehicle dealers send the HSRP kit to customers after registration and ask them to get it fitted themselves. As per officials, to ensure vehicles are not handed over to customers without HSRP, the transport department has made it mandatory for dealers to upload photos and details of HSRPs on the VAHAN portal. Until this is done, the vehicle's registration certificate is not printed at the RTO.