Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
If you are going to install the HSRP (High-Security Registration Plate) based on an online appointment, it is advisable to set aside at least half a day for the task. Besides, remove your old number plate at home, as the centres lack the necessary tools like pliers, screwdrivers, and spanners to remove the old plates. If the old plate comes off easily, that's fine, but if not, you will need to go to a garage to get it removed and then install HSRP. In this process, vehicle owners are being exploited in various ways, and the RTO is completely ignoring this issue.
After the government made it mandatory to install the new number plates for vehicles manufactured before 2019, many people paid online and booked appointments at the centres. However, the experiences of vehicle owners when they visit these centres on the scheduled date are troublesome and problematic.
Take a plastic frame, otherwise...
At the centre of the Beed Bypass, vehicle owners who came to change their number plates were told to buy a plastic frame while taking a token number. Those who refused to buy the frame were threatened with the warning that if the new number plate broke during installation, the centre would not be responsible. If anyone questioned this and refused to buy the plastic frame, their plates were not changed promptly. They were made to wait for four to five hours in frustration.
Huge crowd, and few workers replacing plates
At many centres, there is a massive crowd of vehicle owners, but the number of workers replacing the plates is very limited. As a result, people are forced to wait for long hours. Besides, if a worker receives a bribe, they quickly place the number plate aside and install a new one. However, if someone follows the rules and questions them, they are told that the old number plate cannot be removed there and are asked to go to a garage outside to get it removed. Workers also claim that they don’t have the necessary tools to remove the old plate and advise vehicle owners to read the letter and remove the plate themselves, offering such unhelpful advice.
Vehicle owners became workers themselves
Seeing the situation at the centre, instead of arguing, vehicle owners themselves started removing their old number plates from their vehicles. They searched for tools like pliers and screwdrivers from their vehicles to remove the plates. Even when the new plates were being installed, the workers at the centre just observed the vehicle owners doing the work. Moreover, due to the shortage of workers, vehicle owners had to assist the centre’s staff with every task, including installing the new number plate. If they didn’t offer help, the workers wouldn’t come near their vehicles. This was the scene at the centre.
What about old number plates?
The old number plates that were removed were kept by the centre owners. This resulted in the accumulation of hundreds of kilograms of scrap metal at the centre. The question then arises: who will take the money for this scrap?