Getting HSRPs tough for Palampur residents

Ravinder Sood

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Palampur, November 28

To get a high security registration number plates (HSRPs) for commercial and non-commercial vehicles in Palampur has become a difficult task, as the company, which has been assigned the job, has failed to deliver the number plates in the past two months despite collecting money and documents from owners of the vehicles.

It is also alleged that the high security number plates being supplied by the company are of inferior quality. However, the district administration is unconcerned with the situation and no steps have been initiated to streamline the system and ensure better quality plates.

However, Balwan Chand, SDM, Palampur, said the contract for the manufacturing and installation of the high security number plates had been assigned to a private company by the Director, Transport, Shimla, therefore, he was helpless to initiate action. He said people should approach the authorities at Shimla.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed the Director, Transport, had assigned the job to a private company of Delhi to issue HSRPs. The company neither had any machines at Palampur to print the number plates nor manpower to deliver it on time. Before awarding the contract, the Director failed to verify the credentials of the company and awarded the contract. It is evident from the fact that so far, the company had deputed only one person in Palampur to collect the money and documents. However, no machines have been installed so far.

In the absence of adequate manpower and equipment, the residents have to wait for months and visit the SDM office time and again to collect the number plates. Over 500 vehicles are registered every month with the licensing authority at Palampur.

Raj Kumar, a senior citizen outside the office of SDM, told The Tribune that he had deposited the fee and documents two months ago and despite repeated visit to the SDM office he had not received the number plates so far. There were hundreds of vehicle owners in the town who had been waiting for the number plates for the past three months despite paying the fee on time.