Deadline for fitting high security number plates extended, push for home delivery

While less than 10% vehicles registered before April 2019 have installed HSRP, barely 1% among them have had the tamper-proof number plates fitted at customer premises

Mumbai: The state transport department on Thursday extended the deadline for installation of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) on vehicles registered before April 1, 2019 till June 30. In an internal circular issued to all regional transport offices (RTO), transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar said the extension was necessitated due to slow progress in installation of HSRP on nearly 21 million vehicles registered before April 1, 2019. The department had earlier extended the deadline from March 31 to April 30.

Deadline for fitting high security number plates extended, push for home delivery

The transport department is also pushing for home delivery and fitment of number plates at the premises of motorists as only 1.8 million out the 21 million vehicles have installed HSRP, said sources in the transport department. The three vendors mandated to install HSRPs have been asked to offer concessions for bulk installations at housing societies to push up adoption, the sources added.

“If there is bulk booking for installation of HSRP on 25 or more vehicles in a housing society, they can negotiate a lesser fee or even avail of free delivery,” a transport department official told Hindustan Times. The fee for home delivery and installation of HSRP has not been decided by the government and is solely based on negotiations between the vendors and users, the official added.

Presently, the official fee for installation of HSRP at vendor outlets, payable at the time of booking appointments for installation, is ₹450 for two-wheelers, ₹500 for three-wheelers and ₹745 for four-wheelers, excluding goods and services tax (GST).

In case of home delivery and fitment of HSRP at customer premises, vendors charge an additional ₹125 per two-wheeler and ₹250 per four-wheeler. Opposition parties have alleged the installation fees are higher compared to other states, but the transport department has clarified that the rates are competitive and based on market rates.

“Transport department officials have urged to offer concessions on home installation in case of bulk bookings and we are working as per their instructions,” a representative of one of the three vendors told HT.

While less than 10% vehicles registered before April 2019 have installed HSRP, barely 1% among them have had the tamper-proof number plates fitted at customer premises, said sources in the regional transport office (RTO). The government has extended the deadline for HSRP fitment on such vehicles till April 30, 2025.

Meanwhile, almost 10 lakh vehicles registered after April 1, 2019, which usually have HSRP installed at the time of purchase, are plying without the tamper-proof number plates and some vehicles also sport fancy number plates or improper installations, said transport department sources.

“We have registered a police complaint regarding fake websites impersonating the three mandated vendors and offering HSRP appointments,” said an official.