The district transport office has finally started issuing registration documents to vehicle owners who have procured high security registration plates (HSRPs) from authorised agencies.

The new high-tech plates were provided to the residents of East Champaran recently in a bid to keep tabs on crime related to traffic and bring uniformity in registration of vehicles across the country.

“East Champaran is one among the few bordering districts where the system was launched to avoid offences related to motor vehicles,” district transport officer (DTO) Dinesh Kumar Rai said.

“The state government has assigned New Delhi-based Ms Utsav Pvt Ltd for implementing the new scheme in the district,” added Rai.

According to Rai, the new system would reduce incidents of vehicle theft, as the plates cannot be changed without damaging it. “Station house officers of all police stations in the district, especially bordering areas have been directed to keep strict vigil on movement of vehicles, whose registration plates are found missing or damaged,” Rai said.

He told The Telegraph: “In view of directions received from the transport department principal secretary R.K. Mahajan, representatives of the authorised agency have been asked to start functioning properly. I have also warned the agency that complaints would be lodged with the department if their performance is not up to the mark.”

“I have urged all residents of the district to co-operate with the transport department and report any suspicious vehicle seen or found, to the police,” said Rai. The DTO said the new number plates are not very expensive. “I have appealed to the people not to procure registration plates from anywhere else other than the authorised agency assigned for the purpose,” he said.