PANJIM: Few years ago, there was a hue and cry about new High-Security Registered Plates (HSRP) which were made mandatory for all vehicles in Goa but now in the absence of a deadline, the process of fitting HSRP for vehicles has gone slow in Goa.
“Public are not coming for the fitment of the number plates. The government had given the contract to a company for the work but it expired recently. Now the company does not want to continue as the rates which it had quoted five years back have gone up,” an official from the Department of Transport told O Heraldo.
He pointed out that now there is another directive from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) that the number plates of all the new cars have to be fitted with the vehicle dealers.
“The ministry has mentioned that dealers of any particular vehicle can change the old number plates and fix a new one,” he said.
The official pointed out that there were some people who had paid but did not turn up for fitment. However, he added that the number plates are being changed when the vehicles come for renewal of permissions.
“Now whoever is coming for renewal of permission for their vehicle, we make sure that the number plates are changed. The old vehicles will get phased out and the new vehicles will come out with high security number plates,” the official said.
Elaborating the reason behind the reluctance on the part of the vehicle owners, another Department of Transport official said, right now there is no deadline fixed for the fitment of the HSRP number plates.
“Initially it was fixed but it was removed in view of Covid-19 pandemic. There were no fitment centres nor staff, so it could not be done. There was a rush at Margao and other centres,” he said.
The official said in fact Goa was ahead of other States in the number of fitting HSRP plates in old vehicles but due to Covid-19 pandemic, it lagged behind.
The official pointed out that the fitting of new number plates cost only Rs 133 for two-wheelers and Rs 330 for four wheelers.
According to the Department of Transport, as of date 2.96 lakh vehicles in the State have been fitted with the HSRP number plates.