Personalised Number Plate Deadline Missed

The Delhi government starts the new year on a dubious note – it has missed the December 31, 2011 deadline set by the Supreme Court for implementation of the high-security registration plate (HSRP) scheme. Last-minute decisions regarding the scheme had held up the announcement for notification of the high security plates, said highly placed sources in the government. A final decision will be taken in the first week of January, added sources.

“There are several issues which need to be sorted out before the notification can be announced. This includes the engagement of a sub-contractor by the agency which had been entrusted by the government to implement the scheme,” said a senior government official. Incidentally, the SC had recommended a single-vendor process for the HSRP. The government had sent the proposal to the law department for a way to save the project and a meeting would be held on Monday to discuss the issue further, said sources.

“The court order is being scrutinized by the law department. The single-vendor clause may prove to be an obstacle as the present proposal is not along these lines,” added the official.

The agency, DIMTS, hired for the project has hired a sub-contractor to procure the high security registration plates, said officials. “According to the current proposal, the plates will be procured by DIMTS through another vendor though embossing will be done by the agency itself,” the official said. DIMTS will also undertake to fit the plates to the vehicles at the centers identified by the transport department. Issues concerning demands by DIMTS for more infrastructure, is another topic of contention.