HSRPs can be fitted in society-sans extra fees

Mumbai: In a laudable move, the Maharashtra Transport Commissionerate has directed that the mandatory High Security Registration Plates for old vehicles can be fitted in housing society premises without levying extra charges.

The order was issued today (March 22) by Joint Transport Commissioner Shailesh Kamat today, extending the facility for group bookings and fitting of HSRPs at the venue of their choice.

The move is ostensibly due to poor response and low implementation of HSRPs in the state for multiple reasons, as the deadline of June 30 looms ahead.

Accordingly, Kamat has directed the local Regional Transport Officers (RTO) to hold discussions with associations/unions of trucks, buses, taxis or three-wheelers and exhort them to go for the HSRPs.

In places with 25 applications or more from two-wheelers, four-wheelers, autorickshaws, taxis, buses and trucks, the RTO should make arrangements through the authorized agency to fit the HSRPs without levying the ‘home fitment fees’.

The venues can be cooperative housing societies or the place of choice of theassociations/unions as per the convenience of their members, and would be applicable to vehicles registered prior to April 1, 2019, said Kamat.

The Commissionerate admitted that since Jan. 1, 2025, when the drive for HSRP kicked off in the state, the implementation has been ‘very poor’.

The government has appointed three (03) authorized agencies to complete the stupendous task through their fitment centres, adhering to a strict deadline.

However, in some districts, there are very few fitments centres and the public have complained of experiencing difficulties in securing appointments, including through the online process.

The state RTOs have been asked to review the situation in their respective jurisdictions and direct the fitment agencies to open additional fitments centres as required.

Discarding the red-tape, the Transport Commissioner has even authorized the local RTOs to grant approval to the fitment agencies for starting more fitment centres.

As per reports, of the total 1.15 crore vehicles registered in Maharashtra, nearly 10 lakh new vehicles (post-April 1, 2019) are plying without the HSRP, and barely a fraction of the old vehicles (pre-April 1, 2019) have either applied for or are fitted with HSRPs.