PUNE: The Regional Transport Office (RTO), Pune has asked the dealers within its limits to ensure that all new vehicles hitting the road have the high security number plate. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has made it mandatory for all new vehicles to be sold with a pre-fitted high-security number plate from April 1 this year.

The MoRTH has notified amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 to this effect. The notification mandates that the high security registration plate, including the third registration mark, will be supplied by the vehicle manufacturers, along with the vehicles manufactured on or after April 1, 2019, to their dealers. The dealers will place a mark of registration on such plates and affix them on the vehicles. The vehicles dealers can also provide the high-security registration plates for old vehicles.

“We have asked all dealers selling vehicles to make sure that all vehicles have the prefixed high security number plates. We will also verify when the application received for the registration number. The form submitted by the dealers will mention the manufacturing date,” said a senior officer from the RTO, Pune.

“This step is likely to improve the coverage of high security registration plate on vehicles while ensuring its quality by the vehicle manufacturers. The high security registration plates help in keeping a track of the vehicle and makes it easier to trace a lost or stolen vehicle,” the officer pointed out.

The notification to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 to this effect was issued after due consideration of objections and suggestions received from the public. MoRTH in April last year had invited objections and suggestions from those likely to be affected by the amendment.