It’s nearly a year since the new number plates for motor vehicles (High Security Registration Plates) were launched amid fanfare at the Maddilapalem RTC Depot. Even today, there is an acute shortage of HSRP and the authorities concerned seem to be clueless on the supply position.
The nonchalant attitude of the authorities has pushed owners of new vehicles into a quandary. The prospect of being caught unawares by the Traffic police is forcing many motorists to rely on unauthorised number plate suppliers. These suppliers are charging high rates for providing a ‘replica’ of the HSRP, which in any case has to be replaced, once the supply position improves.
The government had entrusted the job of manufacture of the new number plates to M/s Link Autotech Pvt. Ltd. It was, however, decided that the plates should be manufactured only at RTC depots and that affixing of the number plates should be done at places designated by the Transport Department under the supervision of Transport officials.
The HSRP plates are being presently manufactured in Hyderabad and the embossing of the registration numbers on the plates is being done at Gajuwaka. Around 1,000 plates a month are being received for Visakhapatnam city and district, and Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts, according to sources. This against the requirement of 250 plates a day for city (including Gajuwaka) alone indicates the acute shortage.
“The Samaikyandhra agitation and subsequent bifurcation of the State led to delay in implementation. The problem will be sorted out soon, and there is no cause for worry. We (Transport Department) are not booking cases for non-compliance right now and new vehicle owners can go for any available number plates till the supply position improves,” Deputy Transport Commissioner G. Krishnaiah told The Hindu .
“Motorists are approaching unauthorised suppliers, who are providing number plates without the hologram,” says A. Veeraiah Choudary, Deputy Chief Traffic Manager (Urban) of RTC.
