HSRP conversion deadline extended by a month

LAST DATE IS NOW 30 APRIL 2012
GANGTOK, 26 March: The State Transport Department has now been given an extension of one more month by the Government of India to complete the process of affixing all vehicles in the State with High Security Registration Plates [HSRP]. Against the earlier deadline of 31 March 2012, the final deadline as of now for vehicle owners in the State to acquire the HSRP is now 30 April 2012.
“We were informed a few days back by our Department officials that the Government of India has granted another month as extension to complete the implementation of HSRP scheme in Sikkim. So the new last date has been shifted to 30 April, instead of the old one of 31 March, 2012,” informed TT Sherpa, Secretary, State Transport Authority, while speaking to NOW! today.
The Supreme Court of India had, on 08 December, 2011, issued an order to the State Government to complete implementation of the HSRP scheme by 31 March, 2012 with a clear instruction that no further time shall be granted, acting on which the State Transport Department had also issued a notice directing that all vehicles in the State affix HSRPs within this time. Vehicles without HSRPs would not be allowed to ply on Sikkim roads beyond this deadline, the original notification had stated. This now stands shifted back another.
“Now, with the extension at hand, we should be able to finish affixing all vehicles in the State with HSRPs,” he said, informing further that as on 19 March, 2012 out of the 42,823 vehicles [government and private] registered in the State, 22,968 had been affixed with the HSRPs. The Motor Vehicle Department had started the drive of fitting High Security Registration Plates [HSRP] in Sikkim in the year 2008.
The Transport Department has directed all vehicle owners, who have not yet affixed the HSRPs to report to the concerned RTO office in Gangtok and in the districts for affixing of the HSRPs. Even mobile checks are being conducted all over the State by Motor Vehicle Inspectors [MVIs] on a regular basis so that vehicles without HSRPs are informed to get their vehicles affixed with HSRPs as soon as possible. Even the taxi and vehicle counters are being similarly briefed.
“We should be able to do the affixing in time as there are many vehilces which are off the roads, where people are just coming to the department to update their documents, but do not actually own vehicles at present, while many others [private and taxis] are plying in other states but their documents and number plates have been registered in Sikkim,” the STA Secretary further informed.
“The vehicles which have not yet affixed HSRPs, their documents such as token tax and renewal fees are not being updated by the department, and when this happens, if the documents fail the drivers or owners of the said vehicles have to pay fines, which in some cases can be double the amount, so now because of this drive by the department, people are coming and getting their number plates changed with HSRPs,” informed Senior Regional Transport Officer, PK Basnett.
The contract for affixing HSRPs was awarded to M/s Tonnjes Eastern Security Pvt Ltd of New Delhi and charges for Light Motor Vehicles [LMV] and Heavy Motor Vehicles [HMV] HSRP plates is Rs. 2,048, while for Two Wheelers it is Rs. 871 per plate, as this was the rate quoted by the company in the quotation during the tender, the prices cannot be reduced and thus is being implemented.
The HSRP number plate is \unique as the back number plate contains name of State, districtwise code, category of vehicle, snap lock [so that the number plate once fixed cannot be tampered with], rainbow effect hologram, bar code and a Unique Identification [UID] number [not replaceable], while the front number plate just had the number and the UID number [one vehicle has two UID numbers].
The Districtwise Code breakup for the HSRP is East-1, West-2, North-3 and South-4, while the category breakup is for private vehicles-P, for government vehicles-G, for taxi’s-T, for jeeps-J, for heavy vehicles [trucks and buses]-D, for luxury vehicles-Z and for government buses-B.
Further, the department has urged the people to fit their vehicles with HSRP as soon as possible to avoid compounding and fines by the department and also warn to avoid using ‘made’ or duplicate HSRP number plates as this is illegal and would be a contempt of court and if any one is found doing so by the department then they will be charged and fined.

[AMEET OBEROI]