Driving a car sporting a paper-printed temporary registration number has been made an offence by the Union Ministry of Road Transport Highways (MoRTH). The new rule is consequent to the revision of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules to curb fraudulent activities.
At present, vehicles sporting such paper-printed temporary registration numbers ply the road for weeks. Many who reserve fancy numbers drive vehicles sporting these temporary registrations till the auction is completed.
Law enforcing agencies’ cameras equipped with number plate reading facility find it difficult to read such number plates since they do conform to a standard. The numbers, written on paper, are not clear and the paper can be easily removed in case the vehicle is involved in a crime.
Specifications
The MoRTH has notified a colour code norm for the registration of 11 categories of motor vehicles. Henceforth, a temporary registration plate in a motor vehicle should have red letters/numerals on a yellow background. Vehicles used by the automobile dealers should have plates with white letters and red background. Electric vehicles can continue to use the yellow letters/numbers on a green background.
Besides the English letters and Arabic numerals, a registration plate should not have any other characters or logos painted, written or affixed on it. Further, number plates with regional languages cannot be used. The MoRTH has clarified that even fancy numbers auctioned by the States/union territories will have to comply with the new norms.
Size and thickness
The Central Motor Vehicles Rules has also specified the size, thickness and spacing between the characters on the number plate, which stands at 65 mm, 10 mm and 10 mm, respectively. These are applicable for all motor vehicles except two- and three-wheelers.
In a recent communication to the Principal Secretaries, Transport, the MoRTH has listed steps to improve the coverage of High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) on all vehicles across the country. The States have been told that no new vehicle should be registered without the integration of the HSRP with the VAHAN database.