Vehicle owners in Karnataka who do not have High-Security Registration Plates (HSRP) on their vehicles will soon face penalties ranging from INR 500 to INR 1,000. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said that enforcement of this rule will begin in early October, around 15 days from now.
HSRP numbers have been installed in just 53 lakh vehicles out of the over 2 crore older vehicles in the state. The Karnataka Transport Department issued a notification in August 2023, making HSRP mandatory for vehicles registered before April 1, 2019. Initially, a three-month deadline was set, but due to a lack of response from vehicle owners and other factors like the Lok Sabha elections, the deadline was extended multiple times. The issue also reached the Karnataka High Court, and the last deadline was set for September 15.
“While adjourning the case for hearing recently, the HC did not give any direction on further extending the deadline for the installation of HSRP. Instead of immediately imposing a penalty, the department would give 15 days’ time for the motorists to follow the rule; thereafter, the enforcement activities will start (in early October),” said Minister Reddy.
Most of the compliance with the HSRP installation has been seen in Bengaluru, with tier II cities and rural areas showing less response. According to a department official, “Notification for mandatory installation of HSRP was introduced in August 2023. Thereafter, multiple extensions have been given for the fixation of new number plates. Motorists have been given enough time to follow the rules.”
Simultaneously, there is opposition from owners of public service vehicles such as buses, school vans, and taxis regarding the mandatory installation of Vehicle Tracking Devices (VTD) and panic buttons. They argue that the transport department’s stance on not issuing fitness certificates without these devices is unwarranted and that the cost of installation, which ranges from INR 15,000 to INR 18,000, is a significant burden. The initial deadline for these devices was September 10.
The Karnataka State Travel Operators Association has requested an additional six months to comply, citing issues such as a lack of device availability, high costs, and other concerns. Department officials have noted that truck owners with national permits and buses operated by Road Transport Corporation will have more time for installation.
“For the rest of the public service vehicles, fitness certificates will be issued only after verifying that they are fitted with VLT and panic button devices,” an official stated.
