Despite multiple deadline extensions and awareness campaigns, the response to High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) installation remained cold among vehicle owners in Nagpur. The situation is grim as about half of the city’s eligible vehicles are still without HSRP. According to Nagpur Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Kiran Bidkar, “Only 52 per cent of total eligible vehicles in Nagpur City (MH-31) and 55 per cent in the Nagpur East (MH-49) jurisdictions have registered for the HSRP before December 31.”

 

The total number of eligible (vehicles before April 1, 2019 with valid registration) vehicles in both jurisdictions being 8,72,473. “Strict action will definitely be taken against the defaulters in Nagpur once we receive the formal orders from the State Transport Commissioner,” Bidkar asserted to ‘The Hitavada’. The situation in Nagpur Rural (MH-40) is even worse as only 50 per cent of the total eligible vehicles had registered before the deadline; the total eligible vehicles being 5.62 lakh as informed by Vijay Chavan, RTO Nagpur Rural. Across the State, over one crore vehicles are still running on old number plates, revealing a serious lack of awareness among the vehicle owners. 

 

 

 After repeated extensions in deadline for installation of HSRP in vehicles by the State Government, the State Transport Department has finally decided to move into action mode. Vivek Bhimanwar, State Transport Commissioner, while interacting with mediapersons in Pune recently, had indicated that strict action will begin from February 18 against the vehicles which do not have the new HSRP number plates. For the vehicle owners who registered for the new plates before December 31, 2025, but have not installed them, a 15-day grace period had been granted. “Those who completed the registration on time deserve a fair opportunity, which is why we decided to wait until February 18,” Bhimanwar explained. However, the vehicle owners who registered after December 31 or still haven’t registered will face a fine of Rs 1,000. The department clarified further that the action will not be limited to HSRP, but also Registration Certificate (RC), PUC, Insurance, and Driving License. Absence of any of these documents will result in additional fine.