High security registration plates must for all vehicles: Govt

Patna: The transport department has made it mandatory for all vehicles across the state to be equipped with High Security Registration Plates (HSRP). The step has been taken to improve vehicle identification, reduce the risk of tampering or duplication of number plates, prevent crimes involving vehicles, and strengthen overall road safety and traffic enforcement.Department’s secretary Raj Kumar said vehicle owners whose vehicles do not yet have the HSRP are urged to have them installed without delay. These plates can be obtained and fitted through authorised agencies or vehicle dealers approved by the department, he said.The secretary during a recent departmental review meeting said a significant number of vehicles now physically carry the HSRP, but the corresponding details were not uploaded or updated in the department’s central vehicle database (VAHAN portal).

“Due to this discrepancy, many such vehicle owners continue to receive SMS notifications on their registered cellphone numbers reminding them to install the HSRP—even though the plates have already been fixed,” Kumar said on Tuesday.The department said the vehicle owners receiving such messages after the HSRP installation should not be alarmed. “In these cases, owners are requested to visit their nearest district transport officer (DTO) office as soon as possible.

There, officials will verify the physical presence of the HSRP on the vehicle and ensure that the accurate details, including the HSRP number and installation date, are promptly entered into the official software system,” the secretary said.Kumar further said that timely updating of the HSRP information is important to avoid any future difficulties, such as fines, suspension of online services related to the vehicle, or other enforcement measures that may arise from outdated records.To resolve the matter efficiently, the department issued instructions to all the DTOs that they must actively identify vehicles where the HSRP was fitted but was not yet reflected in the portal, carry out necessary verification, and upload the correct data without delay.