Die cast for number plates

Hyderabad: The Traffic police is penalising motorists for improper number plates during regular vehicle checking.

With chain snatchers using fake number plates, cops are issuing challans if numbers or letters are missing from registration plates or if they appear different from the prescribed size and font.

The law and order police has also been ordered by higher officials to stop and verify bikers with improper number plates. Senior officers said that in case of false number plates and deletion of digits/letters, the vehicle will be seized and a criminal case will be registered.

If the letters and numbers are not as per the prescribed font, the motorist will be fined '100 and will have to get the number plate fixed.

“This is an ongoing process now. During every vehicle checking, the traffic police will verify if the number plate is proper. Different fonts and stylish numbers will lead to a challan,” said Additional DCP, Traffic   P. Papaiah.

Senior officials have warned motorists not to tamper with the numbers and alphabets as that could make it difficult for cops to read the license plate.

Also, signs like “Police”, “Corporator”, “Press”, “Army”, “MLA”, “MP”, etc. on number plates are banned. Such cases will be treated under violations of Sections 50 and 51 of the MV Act.

Police has already confiscated more than 100 vehicles from various places of the city for false number plates, a senior official said.

Traffic police officials said that the standard font and size of number plates is available on the police website, and shopkeepers who sell number plates have also been made aware of it.