By WAF Think Tank
•Faded HSRPs defeat the very purpose why they were introduced.
•Faded HSRPs encourage Crimes and episodes of Road Accidents, Hit & Run and Fatalities. Sadly India is already the world leader in Road Deaths!
•As per CMVR Rules, HSRP’s Quality & Compliance are the direct responsibilities of the Car Makers!
The White Ambassador car used for carrying out attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001 was bought from the Karol Bagh used car market and had a Fake Registration Plate.
Now that was the traditional registration plate. Come to 2024 and now we have the HSRP -High Security Registration Plate.
Since April 2019, all new vehicles registered in India came with an HSRP. During 2022, All old vehicles were made to migrate to HSRP as per the requisite orders by MORTH – Ministry of Road Transport and Highway.
So why was the migration to HSRP so important & urgent ? Why was it made to comply via laws and orders? Whats so special about HSRPs?
Well, they are supposed to have several security features like –
- Hot stamped chrome based Hologram to easily identify genuine from non genuine.
- Laser braded permanent identification no for tracking and quick validation via the Vaahan Portal.
- White Retro reflective sheet visible even at distance of 200m. Yellow in case of commercial.
- Alpha numerals hot stamped with black foil and inscription of India.
- Special Materials to ensure durability, endurance and longevity.
If they are so good then why are the numbers on the Car HSRPs in the Delhi-NCR region , Fading away to Glory!?
A Casual observation around one’s neighbourhood, colony, office , parking area in Delhi-NCR, shall quickly and easily validate this observation!
Is it the tough weather conditions of North India or is it low quality work by the HSRP Plate makers ? The Nation wants to Know! 🙂
Huge Drawbacks of Faded HSRPs
One might say customers are elated as Cameras fail to read the faded HSRPs, hence no e Challans!
Threat to Road Safety
But on a serious note, the fact that they can’t be read by Traffic cameras, poses a huge law and order threat. It encourages drivers to be rogue and rash! A seemingly harmless faded HSRP can aid and abate rash and high speed driving. Not just the cameras even the eye witnesses might miss or wrongly read the HSRP number in case of an accident especially Hit & Run cases. The vulnerable road users like pedestrians, two wheeler riders and cyclists can be at highest danger.
Cases of Hit and run, overspeeding, jumping of traffic light, drunken driving – All get exacerbated as the fear of being caught disappears!
India sadly tops Road Fatalities in the world. We need Better HSRPS for better Road safety!
Vehicle Aesthetics
Pre owned Cars get evaluated based on their physical appearance. A gleaming well maintained car with a faded HSRP can severely affect it’s resale value by upto 10 to 15%
Conclusion
After committing so many national resources, getting the best technology on the plate, having laws passed, if the HSRP Makers in Delhi- NCR are allegedly compromising on quality for higher margins, its not just illegal & unjust but it’s downright immoral and inhuman as it directly affects safety and lives of commuters!
Honest and responsible officers at the Govts – State and Central, NGOs, Auto Makers, Associations need to come together and address this immediately before its too late. There could be forces and mafia at play. There could be politicians, Bureaucrats and companies hand in glove.
Hence the clarion call for Honest and Responsible Officers to rise to the occasion!
