As HSRP deadline looms, owners of old vehicles face hardship

Confusion and challenges faced by vehicle owners in Bengaluru as the deadline for HSRP installation approaches.

As the deadline for getting the High-Security Registration Plate (HSRP) approaches, vehicle owners, particularly those with older vehicles from companies that no longer exist, are confused and facing challenges.

The department issued a notification in August 2023 mandating the installation of HSRP on an estimated two crore vehicles registered before April 1, 2019, setting a November 17, 2023, deadline. However, as very few people installed the HSRP, the department extended the deadline till February 17, 2024.

Harish R. Naik from Rajajinagar, the owner of a 15-year-old bike from a company that no longer exists, is unable to obtain an HSRP. He said, “For the last two months, I have been trying to get the HSRP for my bike. Unfortunately, the brand is not listed on the website (of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers), and despite my efforts to contact the RTO, the issue remains unresolved.”

Anil Kumar, the owner of a minibus in Mandya district, faced difficulty registering for the HSRP number as the website consistently declined his request, indicating that the vehicle number was not registered under the RTO. Expressing his frustration, he said, “I have all the necessary documents, including the fitness certificate, and the vehicle is in good running condition. However, the website displays an error message and instructs me to contact the RTO. Upon reaching out to the RTO, they seemed unaware of the issue I am encountering.”

Some vehicle owners are reporting issues where the website fails to recognise their vehicle numbers. Prashanth Swamy, a resident of Seshadripuram in Bengaluru, said, “I am unable to book my HSRP as the vehicle registration number is not recognised as Karnataka registered, which is very strange. Despite raising a couple of complaints, there has been no resolution. I also tried with another car registered in Karnataka, and the issue persists with the same error.”

Vehicle owners in Kodagu district are upset as they need to travel long distances to have their number plates installed. Residents point out that the issue stems from the absence of authorized shops or dealers in the district permitted to install HSRP. Adarsh Uthappa from Madikeri said, “In order to obtain HSRP number plates for just scooters, we are compelled to travel over 100 kilometers to Mysuru for installation. This is due to the absence of authorized HSRP vendors in Kodagu.”

Meanwhile, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers says companies that are no longer in business and old companies have also been listed on its HSRP website. Speaking to The Hindu, Mahesh Malhotra, the spokesperson for Rosmerta Technologies, a company involved in the production of HSRP number plates, said, “People should be aware of the manufacturing company’s name, and they can get to know about it by reaching out to their dealers for accurate information or contact the nearest RTO offices.”