Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Feb 2: For ensuring hundred percent replacement of ordinary number plates with High Security Registration Plates (HSRPs) on the vehicles across Jammu and Kashmir, the State Transport Authority has decided to initiate punitive action against the defaulters, including physical removal of Non-HSRPs from the vehicles.
Besides, the Transport Authority is also all set to tighten noose around individual agencies, which are indulging in illegal business of making manual registration plates in the State.
After issuing warning in this regard, the State Transport Authority is learnt to have approached all the Deputy Commissioners, District Superintendents of Police as well as the other concerned agencies for forcing closure of such illegal business with immediate effect, official sources informed the Excelsior.
It may be recalled that the High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) were made mandatory as per Rule 50 and 51 of Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989 and Motor Vehicle (New High Security Registration Plates) Order 2001 of Government of India. On November 31, 2004, the Supreme Court of India had upheld the Constitutional validity of rules 50 and clause 4(x) of the order , 2001. On May 5, 2009, the Supreme Court had taken a serious view of delay in the issue of replacement of non-HSRP with HSR Plates in various States.
Even as in compliance to the provisions and orders of the apex court, the system for affixing of HSRP in the J&K State was established for all districts in June 2012, it was observed that many vehicle owners were not coming forward for replacing the non-HSRP with HSR Plates, official sources said and informed that approximately only 50 percent vehicles in the State have HSR Plates.
Among the Non-HSRP vehicles, maximum are private ones- cars and two-wheelers with Registration prior to June 2012 while around 90 percent commercial vehicles have been covered and affixed HSR Plates, sources said.
Pertinent to mention that in Jammu and Kashmir, there is total number of 13, 29000 vehicles, out of which 7, 14000 have been registered in Jammu Province.
To cover the left over vehicles, the Transport Authority had provided final opportunity with issuance of public notices in September-October 2015 for getting HSRP affixed on all motor vehicles but there was no response from owners of the vehicles with Non-HSR Plates.
“Now we are left with no option other than to take punitive action against the defaulters by imposing fine as well as physically removing the Non-HSR Plates,” said P I Khateeb, Transport Commissioner and Chairman State Transport Authority, J&K.
In view of the apprehension that the defaulters may manage replacement of Non-HSRP with another Non-HSRP thereby deflating the purpose and intent of the drive, the Transport Commissioner has also warned all shopkeepers and vendors, who are in illegal business of making manual number plates and affixing the same on the vehicles, to stop their un-authorized business immediately. “We have already written to all the Deputy Commissioners, District Superintendents of Police, Municipal and Local Bodies to ensure closure of such illegal shops, which will be imposed a fine of minimum Rs 20 thousand each time in case they are found continuing this illegal activity,” Mr Khateeb added.
He also appealed people to cooperate with the Transport authorities in ensuring compliance of apex court order on HSR Plates, which can be got affixed within six working days on subsidized rates from the authorized firm, which has set up its centres in all the districts across the State.
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