All high-security number plates in Punjab lose validity

CHANDIGARH: More than 1319 lakh high security registration plates issued in Punjab have been rendered irrelevant with the government cancelling the contract of a group of three firms selected for the job

Updated At : 07:52 AM Jan 17, 2015 IST

Road safety expert Dr Kamaljit Soi highlights the lapses in plate affixation process, in Chandigarh.

Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 16

More than 13.19 lakh high security registration plates issued in Punjab have been rendered irrelevant with the government cancelling the contract of a group of three firms selected for the job.

The cancellation of the contract of the consortium, Agros Impex, Frost International Ltd and Trinity Engineering Services (Dubai), has left the consumers who had affixed the plates in the lurch. The process so far had cost the government Rs 40 crore. “The major lapse was that a key snap lock feature was missing in the plates. Without this, the number plate can be easily replaced by a mechanical device,” said Dr Kamaljit Soi, an international road safety expert and a member of the European Road Safety Council International Road Federation. He alleged the companies had thrown all norms to the wind for their “personal business interests”.

The consortium, as per an agreement reached with the state government, had to affix number plates on all 39.54 lakh vehicles in Punjab within two years of the launch of the scheme in 2011. The lapses came to light only when the firms had overshot their deadline by a year.

In his January 13 order, the Punjab Transport Commissioner maintained that the absence of snap lock was a violation of the Motor Vehicles New High Security Registration Plates Order, 2001. The commissioner said despite repeated reminders, the companies failed to open affixation stations at sub-division level.

Also, the state Transport Department has reportedly advised the traffic police not to challan vehicles till the number plate issue was resolved.

The traffic wing has neither confirmed nor denied the development.

Transport Minister Ajit Singh Kohar said, “I have just returned from a foreign trip. We will study the case and accordingly find out a solution.” He too opined that the police should desist from issuing challans.

“Ask the transport officials,” said RP Singh, Additional Director General of Police (Traffic).