Fake HSRP biz in overdrive, threatens vehicle traceability
As of Aug 6, only 41.1% of old commercial vehicles and 28.5% of old pvt vehicles registered before March 31, 2019 fitted with HSRPs: Data
High-Security Registration Plates (HSRPs) are specifically designed to curb vehicle theft and aid the police in tracking stolen vehicles by providing tamper-proof, unique and electronically connected features like laser-etched serial numbers and holographic symbols. But the very purpose of these plates is being undermined by rampant retrofitment of counterfeit plates, often right under the nose of police and transport authorities in UP, people in the know of things said.
Though official data is lacking, it is widely believed that nearly half the vehicles on UP roads are fitted with such fake plates, rendering the system ineffective, resulting in very slow progress of retrofitment of authorised HSRPs in transport and non-transport vehicles.
“Uttar Pradesh’s ambitious drive to ensure HSRPs on all vehicles is facing a double challenge — sluggish retrofitting in older vehicles and the alarming spread of fake plates, including on contract vehicles hired by government offices,” said a transport official. “With nearly half the vehicles carrying fake number plates, the core purpose of HSRPs as a tool against vehicle theft and for tracking vehicles used in crimes stands defeated,” he added.
Reports suggest that roadside fabricators and unauthorised workshops are openly manufacturing and fitting counterfeit plates, which not only undermine compliance but also eat into the business of authorised vendors.
The state transport department recently flagged reports of contract vehicles engaged by government departments running with fake HSRPs and even private numbers. Calling it a “serious threat to law and order and national security,” the department instructed regional and district enforcement officials to conduct joint checks with police and submit compliance reports.
{{/usCountry}}The state transport department recently flagged reports of contract vehicles engaged by government departments running with fake HSRPs and even private numbers. Calling it a “serious threat to law and order and national security,” the department instructed regional and district enforcement officials to conduct joint checks with police and submit compliance reports.
{{/usCountry}}On July 18, the Gorakhpur police announced a reward of ₹25,000 on the head of one Shyam Sunder Park whose name emerged as a mastermind of the racket of supplying duplicate plates from Rajasthan to Gorakhpur in UP and other states. The police lodged an FIR a year ago against Ahsan Ansari for retrofitting duplicate plates in vehicles. On interrogation, he named one Sanjay Garg who, according to him, supplied the plates from Rajasthan but further investigation revealed the the mastermind was Park in Maharashtra who remains absconding.
{{/usCountry}}On July 18, the Gorakhpur police announced a reward of ₹25,000 on the head of one Shyam Sunder Park whose name emerged as a mastermind of the racket of supplying duplicate plates from Rajasthan to Gorakhpur in UP and other states. The police lodged an FIR a year ago against Ahsan Ansari for retrofitting duplicate plates in vehicles. On interrogation, he named one Sanjay Garg who, according to him, supplied the plates from Rajasthan but further investigation revealed the the mastermind was Park in Maharashtra who remains absconding.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, the transport department detected specific cases of counterfeit HSRPs being fitted to vehicles in Agra, Sitapur and Basti.
Even as the sporadic crackdown continues, the compliance among old vehicles, the main focus of retrofitting, remains abysmally low in the state. All vehicles registered up to March 31, 2019, must be fitted with an authorised HSRP while vehicles registered later are supposed to be prefitted with such plates.
Transport department’s official data reveals that as of August 6, 2025, only 41.1% of old commercial vehicles and 28.5% of old private vehicles registered before March 31, 2019 had been fitted with HSRPs. A review shows only marginal improvement since December 2024, when coverage stood at 38.1% and 27.2%, respectively.
In Lucknow, only 32% of private vehicles registered up to April 31, 2019, are fitted with HSRPs.
“The progress of retrofitment of HSRPs through the portal continues to be slow despite all our efforts,” additional transport commissioner (enforcement) Sanjay Singh said. “This may be because of the difference in the number of vehicles registered and those actually on roads. Also, reluctance of vehicle owners to spend on old vehicles and lack of awareness may be other reasons,” he explained.
Singh admitted the practice of fake HSRPs being fitted in vehicles may be another important reason for the tardy progress. “The department is taking tough action, including lodging criminal cases against those found involved in manufacturing and supplying counterfeit HSRPs,” he said.
The transport department has warned that fake plates invite strict penalties under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and prosecution under other provisions related to forgery and cheating. Yet, insiders acknowledge that checks on illegal manufacturing remain ineffective, contributing both to fake plate circulation and to the slow pace of genuine retrofitting.
With over 3 crore old private vehicles and 14.6 lakh old commercial vehicles still outside the genuine HSRP system, experts caution that unless enforcement is tightened and fake manufacturing curbed, the very purpose of HSRPs will remain compromised.
“Curbing the sale of counterfeit HSRPs by roadside vendors is not a difficult task. All that is needed is sustained joint campaigns by the transport department and the police,” said Shariq Mohammad, an authorised supplier of HSRPs in Lucknow. He claimed that despite the action, the booking of authorised plates through the SIAM website (the only website to book an HSRP)has substantially decreased over time.
