The Hindu : Towards tamper-proof vehicle registration plates

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 11, 2002

National

National

Towards tamper-proof vehicle registration plates

By P.K. Bhardwaj

NEW DELHI MAY 10. The Centre today announced a new schedule for a changeover to a new colour scheme as well as high security registration number plates for private and commercial vehicles which have grown in volume to the level of 50 million countrywide.

The new colour scheme already stands enforced in the case of commercial vehicles — the number plates have yellow background and the letters and numbers are in black. In the case of non-transport vehicles, the new schedule comes into effect from July 1 instead of June 30.

The number plates on these vehicles would have a white background with the letters and numbers in black.

The new high-security registration plates will be introduced from March 1, 2003. New vehicles would be registered only if they conform to the new norms from then.

For the existing vehicles, a grace period till February 28, 2005 has been given for a switch to the new number plate format.

Though the schedule for high security number plates too has been made public, till date not a single party has been certified to be in possession of the right kind of technology or capability.

However, five companies have submitted themselves for certification of their capabilities. Four other firms have made inquiries while six companies have bought the form and are expected to apply for testing of their facilities for certification.

The possibility of rescheduling the time-frame for a switch to the high-security, tamper-proof registration plates was not ruled out by the Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, B.C. Khanduri, who made the announcement at a press conference.

However, he exuded confidence that it would be possible to adhere to the schedule provided the testing agencies grant their approval to the firms which are evincing interest but without any compromise on the standards and specifications. In reply to a question, he said he was not concerned with who those parties were.

Three agencies had been identified for certification of the facilities and capabilities of the parties. Barring the Central Road Research Institution (CRRI), New Delhi, the other two — the Vehicles Research Development Establishment, Ahmed Nagar, and the Automotive Research Association — were no way under his Ministry, he said, adding that there was some delay in identifying the agency for issue of type approval certification of the prospective vendors of these plates.

The standards and specifications in relation to the number plates have been laid down in the notification issued by the Ministry.

Incidentally, the high security registration number plates will have special features which provide additional safety cover against theft. The plates would have a chromium hologram and a retro reflective film with a verification inscription "India" at 45 degree inclination and an embossed registration number. Further there would be laser numbering which would be of unique nature containing alpha numeric identification of the testing agencies and the manufacturers.

With these features in place, it would be difficult to replicate these number plates.

To further strengthen the security umbrella, these plates would be fitted with a non-reusable snap lock depending on the type of registration plate. The scheme for fitting of these plates envisage a chromium foil-based third registration plate in form of sticker to be attached to the wind shield wherein the number of the engine and chassis would be indicated along with the name of registering authority. In the front and rear registration plates, the letters "IND" in blue colour is hot-stamped.

Neither the Minister nor the officials gave any indication about the cost of these plates. However, it would not be as high as was indicated in a report some time ago.

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