Students body demands crackdown against ‘monopoly’ in fixing high security vehicle registration plates in Karnataka

The association claimed that the monopoly is destroying the livelihood of around 20,000 families in Karnataka who are employed in the licensing industry and depriving customers of availing competitive prices from different vendors.

The HSRP, a flagship project of The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, is an aluminium number plate that is fixed onto a vehicle by a minimum of two non-reusable snap-on locks and has various identifiable features.

The locks have been made mandatory for vehicles registered before 2019 so that number plates cannot be tampered with or misused by thieves. The HSRPs comprise details like engine number and chassis number which are stored in a centralised database. The data helps in identifying a stolen car.

Lokesh Ram, a student activist, explained that the ministry has given permission to close to 17 companies to install HSRP number plates on existing and new vehicles in the country.

“However, in order to create a monopoly, only four firms in Karnataka are likely to get permission to install HSRP number plates. These four firms are linked to one single firm, which technically is involved in fixing HSRPs. By selecting only four firms and keeping out other players, it is given that there is a good scope for corruption by creating a monopoly,” alleged Ram.

“In our complaint to the chief minister, we have submitted supporting documents that establish that the Gurugram-based, Rosmerta Safety System, is being given the permission to fix HSRPs in the Karnataka vehicles,” Ram alleged.

“It is estimated that the country has close to 30 crore old vehicles, out of which Karnataka has 2 crore. All these vehicles in Karnataka need to be fitted with HSRP number plates and the cost of each fitting ranges between Rs 400 and Rs 950. There is a profit margin of at least 50 per cent in each HSRP number plate. If given to a few hands, it is estimated that the profit would run into Rs 500 crore. Therefore, there is a bigger lobby to bag the contracts involving officials and influentials,” alleged Ram.