Pune: The sight of two-wheelers, four-wheelers and even heavy vehicles roaming on city roads without registration number plates is common today.Amid rising cases of accidents, road rage, and general congestion, citizens and lawmakers alike pointed out that this no-plate habit could lead to crimes going untraced. Moreover, it also indicates a mentality of breaking rules without fear of consequences. According to Rules 50 & 51 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, it is mandatory for vehicles to carry a number plate with a unique identification number assigned by the Regional Transport Office (RTO), and to display it at all times. Eschewing this incurs a fine of Rs5,000 for the first offence under High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) rules as well. Repeat offenders can be charged with imprisonment or a fine up to Rs10,000. “The biggest risk of not having a number plate is that it could lead to a rise in crimes. Without it, a motorist cannot be pinpointed even if captured by CCTVs,” said Sanadiip Bbiswas, an industrial consultant, adding, “It is a crucial identification element for crime detection and prevention.” Bbiswas said he raised the issue with traffic police via an online complaint when he spotted a plate-less vehicle during his commute. However, he was told that nothing could be done. “Authorities should make it mandatory for petrol pumps to check if a vehicle has a licence plate or not give them fuel. That is one way to address the problem,” he suggested. A resident of Aundh-Khadki Road, Sandip Rawal said the bigger issue is the lack of fear of the law among such offenders. “It makes them brazen. They simply argue and run off if involved in a mishap, even when the police catch them. Authorities need to do a lot more to keep this attitude in check. You also rarely see police personnel stopping those with fancy number plates that break rules,” said Rawal. The reckless behaviour raises concerns for insurance compliance, too, pointed out Shivam Mudotia, an IT professional from Wakad. “If someone is in an accident, their claim can be denied if the other vehicle wasn’t legally identifiable. This could be a big blow to some. Public awareness campaigns can be held on why these plates are not mere formalities,” he said. “If a bike without a plate is involved in a hit-and-run or theft, it can’t be traced. It’s not just about minor violations. This is a public safety issue. We have seen videos on social media, where criminals on bikes without plates snatch chains; others indulge in stunts for reels. Unfortunately, without any vigilance, such a trend will only grow,” Mudotia highlighted. Some even said a missing plate is a warning sign of potential criminals — either to flee a crime scene or avoid fines if caught on CCTV. Prashant Konde, a city-based horticulturist, said, “Most riders without number plates are youngsters, who don’t wait at signals. They have no regard for rules and ride however and in whichever direction they feel like, often inconveniencing or risking lives of other commuters. RTO and traffic police must team up to investigate this and focus their efforts on curbing the trend before it gets out of hand.” “Given the rise in road rage cases, plate-free riders could cause serious damage. They need more attention than those not wearing helmets,” added Konde. Many people also emphasized that delivery agents of aggregator platforms can be seen without number plates or breaking traffic rules to deliver parcels in the promised ‘10 minutes’ their employers offer to customers. ‘Routine checks underway’ We recently conducted a major drive against ‘fancy’ and missing registration number plates and will continue to do so every month. There is a trend of people trying to do something different with number plates and lately, it has gotten out of hand. We also nab those without number plates during routine checking, but each police station does this at their own level and in their respective areas. If one such vehicle is caught, we track the owner through the chassis number and the person is fined as per the rules — Vivek Patil | Deputy commissioner (traffic branch), Pimpri Chinchwad police ‘We catch offenders every day’ What we have seen is that the number plates are usually missing on old bikes; also generally, it is the plates on the rear of the vehicle. After a lot of wear and tear and probably even accidents, motorists don’t bother fixing their plates if they break. We conduct regular checks for the same across our jurisdiction. During these checks, even those with illegally customised number plates are reprimanded if they are not according to set guidelines. We catch offenders daily, so the drive is a continuous one — Himmat Jadhav | Deputy commissioner (traffic branch), Pune police ‘Failure of the administration’ If there are really people driving or riding without registration number plates, it is nothing but a failure of the administration and needs strict checks urgently. Having number plates is the basic requirement as this is every vehicle’s unique identity. There seems to be a lack of fear of the law and enforcers of law. In addition to taking action against offenders, even officials of both police and the RTO under whose jurisdiction this is occurring should also face action — Mahesh Zagade | Former state transport commissioner ‘Joint drive by police & RTO needed’ It is shocking that something like this is happening at the same time when authorities are actively pushing for installation of high security registration plates (HSRP). When vehicles sans plates are spotted, police personnel, whether they belong to the traffic department or not, should take immediate action. In addition, officers in the control room should identify such miscreants and immediately help on-ground officers track them through the city’s surveillance system. Police must also collaborate with RTO to conduct a special drive — Vijay Palsule | Former assistant commissioner of police, Pune city
