No more fancy number plates on cars: Maharashtra plans for compulsory HSRP

Fancy number plates on cars in Maharashtra will soon be a thing of past as the state government plans to make it compulsory for all vehicles to bear High Security Registration Plates, or HSRP. The state's motor vehicles department has initiated bids for contractors who will make the tamper-proof number plates. The authority plans to complete the process and begin fitting all vehicles with HSRP within the next one year.

HSRP is mandatory for all vehicles around the country after the Centre made it a must-have since April, 2019. HSRP was not mandatory for vehicles registered in the state earlier. People used to fit fancy number plates which are sometimes difficult for traffic personnel to decipher. According to the state motor vehicles department, the process of fitting HSRP will begin early next year and should be completed before the year ends. According to officials, there are more than one crore vehicles in the state which do not have HSRP affixed.

The HSRP contractors will set up centres under the state RTO to help vehicles get their number plates affixed. Once set up, vehicle owners can take prior appointment through app to get HSRP. Once ready, the owners can reach one of these centres to get them fitted.

Fancy number plates flaunting names like Ram, Dada, Boss and Papa are common around the state, which are creatively written to represent certain numbers. Font-play makes 8055 to look like BOSS, 0214 look like RAM, 4141 as PAPA, 2151 as RAJ, and 4912 as PAWAR. Some of the numbers written in Marathi also cleverly hides the original registration number. For instance, Bhau in Marathi stands for 4137.

HSRPs are made tamper-proof through a 10-digit unique laser-branded serial number. These number plates are made of rare aluminium alloy and has IND badging hot-stamped, hologram of Ashok Chakra and retro-reflective film with India inscription. The HSRPs help protect against counterfeiting.

HSRPs are affixed at both ends of a vehicle. In case of a four-wheeler, there is another chromium-based hologram sticker affixed on the windshield as with details of the vehicle's registration.

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