Despite the government mandate on High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) for vehicles, data from the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) shows that only 1.61 lakh vehicles have had the plates installed so far out of approximately 25 lakh registrations after 2019 from the Pune RTO.
Around 23.39 lakh vehicles are still pending installation.
As per the official data shared by the RTO: Total orders: 4,24,718, Total appointments (till May 8): 3,05,226, Total fitments (till May 8): 1,61,310.
Swapnil Bhosale, Assistant Regional Transport Officer, speaking to FPJ, said, “HSRP was introduced to enhance vehicle security and prevent theft or duplication. This is mandatory for all vehicles. The number of centres and the deadline have also been increased by the RTO. Despite that, it appears to be moving at a slow pace. We are requesting vehicle owners to install HSRP number plates as soon as possible to avoid fines. Do not wait for the last day of the deadline.”
Meanwhile, vehicle owners shared their woes over the delay.
“Dealers are also facing a backlog. There is a lot of demand, but supply and scheduling issues are causing delays,” said Santosh Wagh, who runs a two-wheeler dealership in Kothrud.
Santosh Kale, another resident, highlighted, “I tried booking an appointment online, but the website was not working at the time. I visited the dealership directly, and even then, the earliest slot I got was after two weeks.”
