Korba, April 19: Despite mandatory regulations requiring the installation of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) on all vehicles registered prior to April 1, 2019, the implementation in Korba district continues to lag behind expectations. Even after a year, only about 33 per cent of vehicles have been fitted with HSRPs, while a large number of vehicle owners continue to ply with old number plates.
The State Government had assigned the HSRP installation work to a private agency through a tender process. Accordingly, fitment centres were set up across the city as well as in peripheral areas to facilitate vehicle owners. In the initial phase, due to the prescribed deadline and administrative push, there was considerable public response, with long queues witnessed at centres despite extreme summer conditions.
However, the momentum gradually declined over time. At present, the situation has worsened, with only three to four vehicle owners visiting fitment centres daily. Due to the sharp drop in demand, most centres in urban and rural areas have ceased operations, as it has become financially unviable to continue with minimal orders.
According to State Manager Ashish Mishra of the fitment agency, the process has been ongoing for over a year, but only one-third of the targeted vehicles have been covered so far. He further informed that nearly 5 per cent of vehicle owners had completed registration but never turned up for plate installation.
Experts attribute the sluggish progress partly to the lack of strict enforcement by the Transport Department and the police against vehicles without HSRPs. In the absence of penal action, vehicle owners appear indifferent towards compliance.
Currently, only a limited number of fitment centres remain operational at the district headquarters and select tehsil levels. There is a growing need for stricter enforcement and intensified public awareness campaigns to ensure compliance with the mandatory regulation.