Odisha government’s commerce and transport department has asked the state transport commissioner to ensure that people in rural and remote areas don’t face any problems affixing the high-security registration plate (HSRP) on their vehicles.

The state government has made the affixation of HSRP mandatory on old vehicles registered prior to April 1, 2019.

In a letter to the transport commissioner, joint secretary of commerce and transport department Kishore Chandra Das said: “It has come to the notice of the government that people are facing problems for online registration and are unable to fix such number plates within the scheduled time. As reported, in some cases, booking slots are unavailable within the scheduled time; in remote areas, people face problems as online booking systems and affixation centres are not available easily.”

The letter further reads: “In some cases, where vehicle manufacturers have closed down their business, such vehicle owners are facing problems as no facility is available in the portal for booking HSRP. In view of the above, you are requested to assess the number of old vehicles, the capacity of HSRP manufacturers to prepare and affix HSRP in a day and calculate the time required to affix HSRP in all such old vehicles and re-fix timeline accordingly after due approval by the government.”

The joint secretary further said: “Steps may also be taken in consultation with HSRP manufacturers for fixation of HSRP on vehicles whose original manufacturers have closed down their business in the meantime.”

The state government has asked the transport commissioner to ensure through RTOs (regional transport officers) that the high-security number plates supplied by the manufacturers are in compliance with Rule 50 of Central Motor Vehicles rules, 1989.

The state government has revised the timelines for the affixation of HSRP number plates on vehicles after a widespread protest on the issue of HSRP number plates.

According to the guidelines, vehicles carrying Odisha registration marks have separate deadlines for separate registration numbers.

While the vehicles carrying registration numbers ending with 1 and 2, will have to affix the HSRP by October 31, the vehicles carrying registration numbers ending with 9 and 0, will have to affix the HSRP by January 31, 2023.