Hyderabad, April 04: After dilly-dallying for several years, the state government has finally decided to introduce high-security registration plates (HSRP) for over 95 lakh motor vehicles in the state in the next five months as per the Supreme Court’s directive.
The government has recently examined various aspects of implementation and, after holding a series of meetings with officials of the departments concerned, entrusted the AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) with the task of making the number plates and establishing plate-fixing stations at all the Road Transport Offices (RTOs). The decision to entrust the work to APSRTC stems from the fact that the corporation has adequate infrastructure, manpower and a well-equipped engineering wing.
A high-level team of officials from the APSRTC and transport department will visit Germany shortly to acquire HSRP manufacturing blocks.
Transport department officials told Express that HSRP was in vogue in Goa, Sikkim, Meghalaya and some other north-eastern states.
Each HSRP costs somewhere between Rs 1,300 and Rs 1,500 in those states.
Realising that it is expensive and motorists may not readily opt for HSRP, the state government is making efforts to see that the price does not exceed Rs 700. Currently, there are about 95 to 97 lakh vehicles registered in the state with about 9 lakh being added every year.
As per the specifications laid out by the Union government, the vehicle registration number should be written in black against white background of the plate. In the case of transport vehicles, the letters and numbers should be in black against an yellow background.
The letters of registration mark should be in English and the numerals Arabic. The letters and numerals should be embossed and not stamped.
The plate has to be guaranteed for imperishable nature for a minimum period of five years. To prevent counterfeiting, a chromium-based hologram is to be hot-stamped on the top left-hand corner of the plate in the front as well as the rear.
The hologram shall contain the Ashoka emblem with `Bharat Sarkar’ and `Government of India’ emblazoned vertically on the left and right sides respectively on the emblem. A permanent identification number of a minimum number of seven digits is to be laser-branded on the reflective sheeting on the bottom left-hand side of the plate with the numeral size being 2.5 mm.
The hot stamping film to be applied on the letters/numerals of the registration number shall bear the inscription `INDIA’. The third registration plate which is to be in the form of a self-destructive type chromium- based hologram sticker to be affixed on the inner side of the lefthand corner of windshield of the vehicle shall be of the size 100 mm x 60 mm.
The replacement for any existing registration plate may be made by the transport authority only after ensuring that the old plate has been surrendered and destroyed.
–Agencies