Maharashtra Transport Department Extends High Security Registration Plates Installation Deadline To April 30

In a major relief to vehicle owners across Maharashtra, the state transport department has extended the deadline for the installation of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) by a month. The new deadline is now set for April 30, 2025, instead of the original March 31, 2025. This extension comes as a response to the slow pace of compliance, with around a crore vehicle owners yet to install the mandated plates across the state.

The HSRP installation is a directive from the Supreme Court, which mandates that all vehicles purchased before April 1, 2019, must be equipped with these high-security plates. However, the response from vehicle owners has been less than enthusiastic, with many still facing challenges in completing the process.

One such concerned vehicle owner is Satish Kardam from Kalyan. Kardam, who purchased his car in 2017, has been attempting to install the HSRP for the past two days but has been unable to due to technical glitches on the online portal. "I am trying to complete the process, but due to website issues and heavy traffic on the portal, I haven’t been able to finish it yet," Kardam shared in frustration.

The slow pace of compliance has been attributed to various factors, including technical difficulties faced by vehicle owners during the online application process. Many have reported experiencing issues like website crashes, long waiting times, and difficulties in scheduling appointments for HSRP installation. The transport department's decision to extend the deadline aims to give vehicle owners more time to resolve these issues and comply with the Supreme Court’s directive.

"Vehicle owners who purchased their vehicles before April 1, 2019, are required to register for HSRP installation through the official Maharashtra Transport Department website (https://transport.maharashtra.gov.in)," said an official, adding that the transport department has authorized three vendors to handle these installations. "Vehicle owners must adhere to this directive to avoid penalties and ensure their vehicles are properly registered," the official emphasized. Additionally, the Maharashtra Transport Department has set up a helpline for complaints or inquiries. Vehicle owners can contact the department via its portal or email at dytccomp.tpt-mh@gov.in.

The official said that more than five lakh vehicles registered before April 2019 have been fitted with the HSRP number plates, which are expected to curb vehicle theft and bring uniformity to the number plates of vehicles for effective enforcement of traffic rules.

"To avoid a fine of ₹1,000 under Rule 50 of CMVR and Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, please get an HSRP plate installed on your vehicle by April 30, 2025," reads the advertisement.

The Maharashtra transport department had earlier set a March 31, 2025 deadline for fixing HSRP to old vehicles registered before April 1, 2019. More than 2.10 crore vehicles were anticipated to be fitted with HSRP within the deadline.

The Transport Commissioner’s office has appointed three agencies—Rosmerta Safety Systems Ltd., Real Mazon India Ltd., and FTA HSRP Solutions Pvt. Ltd.—for the task of installing new registration plates in three zones across Maharashtra.

Rosmerta will handle Zone 1 (12 RTO offices).

Real Mazon will cover Zone 2 (16 RTO offices).

FTA will manage Zone 3 (27 RTO offices), as per the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued for fixing HSRP to old vehicles.

Made of a rare aluminum alloy, HSRP contains a retro-reflective film with a verification inscription ‘India’, a chromium-based Ashok Chakra hologram, the hot-stamped letter IND in blue, and a 10-digit laser branding of a unique serial number, making it tamper-proof.

“It is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to get HSRP and a third registration mark sticker installed by March 31, 2025,” the SOPs stated.

For affixing the HSRP number plates to their vehicles, the owners will have to shell out ₹531 to ₹879, which includes GST and the snap lock cost, as per Maharashtra’s transport department.

In August 2023, the Maharashtra government had invited tenders for the fitment of HSRPs to more than two crore vehicles registered before April 1, 2019. As per the HSRP tender documents, about 2.10 crore vehicles, including 1.62 crore two-wheelers and 33 lakh four-wheelers, were registered in Maharashtra between 2008 and 2019.