Pune RTO drive catches 175 vehicles using out-of-state registration

Hundred-and-one out of these 175 cases have resulted in the recovery of ₹22.51 lakh as against a total of 243 cases recorded over the entire year 2025-26 with ₹42.79 lakh imposed in fines

In a crackdown on vehicles registered in other states but continued to be used in the city for extended periods without completing the required Maharashtra registration formalities, the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) has recorded as many as 175 such cases between April 1 and September 15, 2026, imposing fines totalling ₹35.77 lakh. Hundred-and-one out of these 175 cases have resulted in the recovery of ₹22.51 lakh as against a total of 243 cases recorded over the entire year 2025-26 with ₹42.79 lakh imposed in fines.

As per the information shared by the RTO, the enforcement drive is aimed at identifying vehicles that continue to carry registration numbers of states such as Karnataka, Gujarat, Telangana, Delhi and others despite being used regularly in Pune. (HT FILE)

As per the information shared by the RTO, the enforcement drive is aimed at identifying vehicles that continue to carry registration numbers of states such as Karnataka, Gujarat, Telangana, Delhi and others despite being used regularly in Pune. The drive is also intended to ensure that vehicle owners comply with the applicable tax and registration requirements when their vehicles effectively become Maharashtra-based. The state motor vehicles department specifies that an out-of-state vehicle being used in Maharashtra for more than one year must be registered here and allotted a new registration number.

Deputy regional transport officer Swapnil Bhosale said that the RTO is focusing on vehicles that are being used in Pune on a long-term basis despite retaining registration in another state. “Vehicles registered outside Maharashtra cannot be used here indefinitely without completing the required registration and tax formalities. Our teams are checking such vehicles and taking action wherever violations are established,” Bhosale said.

As part of the drive, RTO officials are verifying vehicle documents and seeking details from owners to establish whether or not the vehicle has been brought to Pune temporarily or has been based in the city for a long period. Earlier enforcement efforts have also highlighted the difficulty in establishing how long an out-of-state vehicle has actually been in Pune as owners may claim that they are temporary visitors.