Chhattisgarh HSRP Rule: Many Government Vehicles in Balod Still Without High Security Number Plates

High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) are mandatory on vehicles registered before 1 April 2019. Even so, many government vehicles in Balod district are still running on old number plates. Vehicles of several departments, including police, revenue and health, are not following the rule. There is a proposal for a new three-month deadline to fit the plates in Chhattisgarh.

Challans for Citizens, No Attention on Official Vehicles

Different states have fixed different last dates for HSRP. Challans are issued when common citizens violate traffic rules. However, the responsible departments are not paying attention when the rules are ignored in government vehicles. Some vehicles do not even have a registration number, yet they are being used to ferry patients.

Fine of Rs 500 to Rs 5,000

Under the rules of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, HSRP is mandatory on all vehicles registered before 1 April 2019. Violation can attract a fine of Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 under the Motor Vehicles Act. The rule applies to both government and private vehicles.

So far, only about 45 to 50 per cent of vehicles in the district have got HSRP. Most of the centres opened for fitting the plates have closed. This is also affecting the process of fitting plates on the remaining vehicles.

HSRP Mandatory on All Vehicles

“The rule is for everyone, and HSRP number plates have to be fitted on all vehicles,” said Yogesh Bhandari, District Transport Officer, Balod. “If the vehicles of any department do not have it, a letter will soon be issued to the departments.”