Bhubaneswar: The State Transport Authority, Odisha (STA) has issued challans against 2,674 vehicles in the last 11 days which do not have high-security registration plates (HSRP) and colour-coded stickers.
In accordance with the directives of the Supreme Court of India, the Union government amended Rule 50 of CMVR and Notifications/Statutory Orders from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India, the state Transport department has made affixation of HSRP mandatory since June 1, 2022, for all classes of old vehicles that were registered before April 1, 2019.
The challans are being issued in accordance with the last date given for various series of vehicles. The deadline for affixation of HSRP on the old vehicles registered prior to April 1, 2019, carrying Odisha Registration Mark and Registration Number ending with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 ended on December 31, 2022. The deadline for vehicles number ending with 7&8 ended on January 31, 2023, and for the vehicles carrying ending with 9&0, the last date for affixation of HSRP is February 28, 2023.
Keeping this in mind, the Transport department officials in January warned the violators that stern action will be taken against the vehicle users for violating the Motor Vehicle Act. Transport department officials across the state are conducting a drive to crack the whip on the violators.
In a press note, Additional Commissioner Transport (Enforcement), LM Sethi informed, “As on February 13, 2023, a total of 38,49,498 vehicle owners have booked slots, out of which HSRP has been affixed in 31,65,850 vehicles. In case a vehicle is not affixed with HSRP within the scheduled date, e-challans shall be issued against the offending vehicles and attract a fine of Rs 5,000 or Rs 10,000 under Section 192 of the MV Act, 1988 as the case may be.”
“Amongst the challans issued so far, the majority of the vehicles are two-wheelers. A penalty of Rs 5,000 has been imposed on the violators. In future, stricter actions will be taken against the violators,” Sethi said.
