Vehicle makers to mandatorily provide high-security plates

NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday issued a notification amending the Central Motor Vehicle Rules making it mandatory for vehicle manufacturers to provide High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) in all new vehicles from April, 2019.

HSRP are a new standard in license plates providing added layers of security. They were introduced in 2005 and made mandatory in 2012, although the implementation has been patchy — largely because the onus was either on dealers or customers to source them (from authorised vendors). The move to make the manufacturers responsible could address this problem — at least for new vehicles. The notification says dealers can also provide HSRP for older vehicles, if state governments grant permission.

“We have issued a notification where the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) would be providing HSRP number plates from April 1, 2019 for new vehicles. This will improve the cover- age of HSRP on vehicles and the quality will be ensured by vehicle manufacturers,” a senior official at the ministry of road transport and highways said on condition of anonymity. The Delhi transport department in October made it mandatory for vehicles registered between January 2011 and April 2012 in Delhi to get high security registration plates installed by authorised vendors of the transport department.

According to draft rules, HSRP which will be fitted in all classes of motor vehicles will be tamperproof. Their security features include: chromium based hotstamped hologram along with an image of the Ashoka Chakra; retro-reflective film, bearing a verification inscription ‘India’ at 45 degree inclination; and the permanent identification number of minimum 7 digits which will be laser branded into the reflective sheeting on the bottom-hand side of the registration plate. In addition it will also include tamper proof non-removable/non-reusable snap locks. Any attempt to remove the plates will simply result in their breakage.