Pune: More than a month after the final deadline expired, the state transport department will begin taking action against vehicles that are still without high-security registration plates (HSRPs) after Feb 18, senior transport department officials said.State transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar said the department would wait another 15 days to allow vehicle owners who applied for HSRPs before Dec 31 to get them installed.
“Once this window closes, enforcement will begin. Those who had booked appointments before the deadline must be given a fair chance, which is why we waited,” Bhimanwar told TOI on Tuesday.Sources in the transport department said vehicle owners who booked appointments after Dec 31 are likely to face fines of Rs 1,000. “Despite repeated deadlines, most vehicle owners have failed to comply. Many are simply not taking this seriously, and enforcement now seems to be the only way to ensure compliance,” another official said.The HSRP mandate applies to vehicles registered before April 1, 2019, and was first announced in Dec 2024. Since then, several deadlines were issued, with Dec 31, 2025, being the last. In Pune, compliance remains low, with only about 35% of eligible vehicles fitted with HSRPs. Of the 2,428,589 vehicles requiring the plates, only 8,57,209 have been fitted so far.Attempts to contact officials at the Pimpri Chinchwad RTO went unanswered, though sources said over one crore vehicles across the state are still without HSRPs.An official said vehicles stopped for inspection will undergo comprehensive checks, not just for HSRPs. “Documents such as registration certificates, insurance, PUC, and driving licences will also be verified, and penalties will increase if any are missing. The deadline expired over a month ago, and no extension was announced. This indicates the state govt does not intend to offer further relaxations,” an official said.The first notification on HSRP was issued on Dec 3, 2024, followed by six deadlines — March 30, April 30, June 30, Aug 15, Nov 30, and finally Dec 31, 2025.“There was initial confusion when the process began, but it eventually stabilised. However, fitment centres have reported that many vehicle owners fail to turn up on their scheduled appointment dates and instead arrive whenever they choose. This reflects a lack of seriousness,” another department official said.A fitment centre executive in the city said the situation has created operational challenges. “We have many HSRPs ready for scheduled appointments, but vehicle owners do not show up. Some arrive a week or even 15 days later, often just before closing time, insisting on immediate fitment. Fitment centres are primarily showrooms and service centres, and we cannot focus exclusively on one task,” he said.
