“The demand for HSRP has suddenly increased while it’s taking 8-10 days or more in its fitment in a vehicle. Many vehicle owners have placed bookings for it that are pending due to the same reasons and thus, the deadline should be extended,” the order read.
Transport commissioner Sanjay Kaumar Jha said that the decision was taken after requests from different corners of society to allow them a month’s time.”We want everyone to follow the instructions. As several people could not do it and they wanted time due to which we have given a month’s time,” he said.
There are still around 30 lakh vehicles in the state including 5 lakh in Indore, which are roaming without the ‘smart’ number plates. In review of the progress of HSRP fitment with help of Society for Indian Automobile Manufacturer and online booking status, around 40,000 applications have been found as pending as it’s taking at least one week in delivery and affixation of the plate, the order reads, adding that therefore, the deadline is being extended till January 15, 2024.
Bhopal RTO has made it clear that vehicle owners are responsible if they have not done it within the stipulated time. “HSRP has been made compulsory for all the vehicles including two-wheelers, four-wheelers, EV and commercial vehicles plying on the roads and therefore, a deadline of December 15 was set, but the same has now been extended for one month,” Indore regional transport officer Pradeep Kumar Sharma said, adding that the dealers have also started calling the customers, they have sold vehicles to, for placing the request to install HSRP in their vehicles.
Madhya Pradesh transport department is going to take major action in the entire state from January 15. Action will be taken against such vehicles which do not have HSRP. Notably, it has been made mandatory to install high security number plates on vehicles registered before April 1, 2019.
Transport department officials said that vehicles registered in Madhya Pradesh before April 1, 2019, must get high security number plates.
Officials claimed that a big campaign has been launched across the state by the transport department since April 15, in which vehicles with plain number plates will be caught and if caught, a fine of Rs 1000 will be collected from the vehicle owners.
The department had blacklisted the previous agency hired to install the high security registration plates. Officials said that in 2014, the transport department had given the work to the agency Link Utsav to install these high security number plates, but when it could not work within the prescribed parameters, it was blacklisted by the transport department. After this, there were legal hurdles and it kept getting delayed.
“The dealers are also getting a certain percentage as service charge for fitting HSRP on the vehicles” he said, adding that the RTO department will meanwhile carry out a drive to generate public awareness to urge vehicle owners to install HSRP as after January 15, the violators may face penalty from Rs 500 to 5,000 on not fitting the plate.
