If you’ve been following automotive-related news, you must have read something about HSRP and the colour-coded stickers for vehicles. For the record, HSRP stands for High Security Registration Plates. All new automobiles sold since April 2019 across India came with those number plates by default. And, accompanying them were colour-coded stickers – light blue for petrol and CNG vehicles and orange for diesel-fed ones.

Last month, news came in that the Delhi Transport Department has asked all vehicle owners in the national capital to affix HSRPs along with colour-coded stickers on their vehicles. It’s based on the directives of the Supreme Court of India of getting them installed on all automobiles across the country. For those vehicles without HSRPs and colour-coded stickers, Delhi’s transport department has cautioned that soon a drive to prosecute drivers/owners of vehicles will commence. The challan could range up to Rs 10,000.

Now, how to get them and avoid an added expense? There are two ways of getting them. One, complete a form on www.bookmyhsrp.com and make the payment. The only downer here is that the list of dealerships is limited. For instance, a vehicle owner residing in Rohini might have to travel to a dealership in a different locality, say in Moti Nagar. If you don’t want to get yourself entangled in that, you can opt for option number two. That’s connecting with the nearest authorised dealership on your own.

Is it really that simple? Yes. It is. Since all dealerships have to install HSRPs along with colour-coded stickers on all new vehicles they sell, they have tie-ups with the recognised suppliers. So, pay the dealer directly, send a copy of your car’s RC (Registration Certificate) along with a government-recognised ID card (Aadhar, Passport, Driver’s Licence, etc.), and you’re set. The whole process takes a few days.

For the uninitiated, the HSRPs feature hot-stamped hologram along with ‘IND’ lettering in blue. Accompanying them is a laser-embedded PIN (Permanent Identification Number). And, the alphanumeric characters on the registration plate are hot-stamped with black foil featuring ‘INDIA’ inscription. The colour-coded sticker has the following fields – transport department along with the state, vehicle’s registration number, PINs for both number plates, date of first registration and a hologram.