Embossed Personalised Number Plates

The government has decided to introduce embossed number plates and smart licences from next fiscal year.

“All the vehicles will have uniform number plates with unique security features once the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management brings the system into force next year,” said Anil Gurung, Deputy Secretary at MoLTM. “The Department of Transport Management is working on it.”

DoTM had envisioned embossed number plates in 2009 and forwarded the idea to MoLTM but only to be rejected. Then minister for transport management Mohammed Aftab Alam had tried to implement embossed number plates and smart licences one year later, but the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority had stopped the process following reports of irregularities in tender process.

“The department has already begun its work to introduce embossed number plates and smart licences,” said Gurung, hinting that both the systems will come into force from early 2012/13.

The department is exploring features to be included in embossed number plates. “There will be a unique identity of owner hidden in every number plate, which will spare owners from the hassles of carrying the bluebook (vehicle ownership certificate) while driving,” said Kapil Dangol, Director, DoTM. According to him, carrying a smart licence will be enough.

Introduction of embossed number plates will also help bring outstanding revenue into state coffers. About 70 per cent owners of motorcycles and nearly 30 per cent private light vehicle owners have not paid vehicle tax for years. According to DoTM, embossed number plates will help the state collect around Rs 4 billion.

“We are planning to add a security sticker in each number plate to stop people from evading tax,” said Dangol. DoTM has yet to finalise size, model and features of the number plate though.

The department, however, is mulling over adding owner details — name, address and profession — in the number plates to track down the vehicles in case of accident, crime and other emergency scenario. “Police can easily get all such information just by scanning the number plate,” said Dangol.