High Security Registration Plates, RTA in a Spot

The officials of Road Transport Authority (RTA) are in a spot over issuing high security registration plates to over 75 lakh vehicles before December 15.That is the deadline set by the Supreme Court to the state government to issue high security number plates to all vehicles. The state government had in the past assured the Supreme Court that by December 15 it shall issue the number plates, now the government finds the deadline a mountain and difficult to surmount.

The government is now contemplating to request the Court for an extension to the deadline.

Fault in Supply

Although the RTA has issued orders over a year ago that all vehicle owners must install the new number plates, there was little or no compliance so far. The reason being the supplier of the number plates has expressed his inability to supply such a huge quantity of plates by December. Only new vehicles that are registered with the "TS" are getting the new number plates. The number of these vehicles is now close to 5.5 lakhs and increasing.

The government on its part held meetings with the supplier along with the RTA and RTC officials. It is learnt that the supplier has now forwarded 16 more demands to fulfill the order.

The government has issued orders to convert all AP series numbers to TS, but the order is stuck in bureaucratic delays.