From Nov 1, get cars with high-security plates

The transport department has made it mandatory for automobile dealers to hand over new vehicles to owners with high-security registration plates. Atul Mathur reports. How these plates benefit you

The transport department has made it mandatory for automobile dealers to hand over new vehicles to owners with high-security registration plates.

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So, all vehicles sold on and after November 1 will be delivered to owners only after the plates are installed.

Transport department officials said this would be done to prevent people from facing the hassle of going to the zonal transport office twice - first to book the plates and then to get them fixed.

"Once the customer gets the vehicle with a temporary number plate, he does not bother to go to the registering authority to get the new plates. That's the reason why there is a huge backlog of registration plates with the contractor and new cars are being driven without the hi-tech plates," said a senior transport department official.

Till now, the automobile dealers used to collect money for the high-security plates from the customer and give him a receipt. The customer shows that receipt to the manufacturer's representatives at the respective zonal authority offices after six days and get the high-security plates fixed.

In some cases the automobile dealers do not give such receipts to vehicle buyers. But most of the times, the buyers do not go to get the plates.

"The onus now lies with the dealer. Even after selling the vehicle, they will have to keep it for 6-7 days to get the plates fixed," the official said.

The Delhi traffic has already started prosecuting owners who bought new vehicles after April 30 and are yet to get the high-security plates fixed.

On Wednesday, 100 such vehicle owners were issued challans. Transport department officials said they will also start taking punitive action after October 31.

"We can also cancel the registration of the vehicle if it does not have the mandatory plates. And if the car dealers are seen violating it, their trade licence would be cancelled," said a transport department official.