Delhi to speed up installation of High Security Registration Plates in vehicles

All vehicles in registered in Delhi will soon need to update to High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) and colour-coded stickers. The state government has asked the authority to speed up the process as the national capital has more than half of its vehicles without valid HSRP. The installation of HSRP became mandatory from April 2019. The standard was set by the government to ensure security, prevent counterfeiting and help trace vehicles.

Delhi currently has more than 30 lakh vehicles registered in the city. These vehicles include around 16 lakh two wheelers and around 12 lakh four-wheelers. Only 13 lakh of these vehicles, which also include commercial ones, have HSRP and colour-coded stickers affixed. There are still more than 16 lakh vehicles which need to install HSRP or face penalty.

The Delhi government's drive to ensure all vehicles are installed with HSRP began as early as 2020. However, in the last four years, the state's transport department has only been able to cover around 40 per cent of the vehicles. Kailash Gahlot, Transport Minister of Delhi, met with officials on Wednesday to review the installation status of HSRPs. At the end of the meeting he said, “I urge all residents of Delhi to promptly install HSRP and colour-coded stickers on their vehicles. These are mandatory. We collectively contribute to fostering a safer and more organised vehicular environment across the capital." Gahlot has also asked Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and assigned vendors like Rosmerta to speed up the process of installing HSRPs.

HSRPs were made mandatory by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in December 2018. The government had issued a notification in this regard which mandated use of HSRP displayed with unique registration marks under the Central Motor Vehicles Rule, 1989. The Delhi government has said that vehicles plying without valid HSRPs are liable to be fined up to ₹10,000.

The colour-coded stickers were introduced to easily make out which vehicles run on petrol, diesel and CNG. The colour for diesel vehicle stickers is orange, light blue for petrol and CNG vehicles, while grey is used for all other vehicles. Electric vehicles bear HSRPs which are differentiated by their green colour.

One can apply for High Security Registration Plates in Delhi through an online portal called Book My HSRP. The process, overseen by a private agency called Rosmerta, allows one to apply, track and raise grievances online. Once received, HSRPs can be installed in vehicles at the nearest dealerships or centres listed by the agency.