Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

Black or white: the number plate dilemma

By Vikram Sharma

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 12. A peculiar situation this. The traffic police and the Road Transport Authority (RTA) insist on vehicle number plates with white background and black letters.

But, they do not know whether to penalise motorists who continue with the old number plates

(black background and white letters).

Even as several motorists continue with the old number plates, the Joint Transport Commissioner, C.L.N. Gandhi, maintains that they account for hardly 2 per cent of the vehicles in the city. "Probably, it is only the old vehicles which are still running with black number plates," he says.

Compulsory rule

Asked about the rule of white plates with black letters, Mr. Gandhi asserts: "Yes, it is compulsory to have white number plates." But, will they challan those with black number plates? Not in near future, he says.

If this is so, how can one say that the rule is compulsory? Officials have no specific answer.

Two years ago, the RTA authorities had mooted the idea of having hi-tech security number plates. Then, too, they wanted motorists to first change the black number plates to white before the hi-tech number plates were introduced. However, the plan to have security number plates ran into rough weather as the matter went to the Supreme Court.

Awareness first

On the other hand, Traffic Department officials say they are challaning only those with fancy number plates.

The Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Tejdeep Kaur Menon, says: "White number plates are compulsory, but we have to first bring about an awareness in the public."

She says the nameplate makers have been instructed to use only white background for the purpose.

Little impact

But, this seems to have little impact on the flow of number plates with black background.

Though the RTA had issued specifications pertaining to number plates a month ago, not many seem to be following it, including those making them, for they simply go by the whims and fancies of motorists.

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