Goa’s High-Security Registration Plate enrollment to go online

Last month, the ministry of road transport and highways declared it mandatory for all vehicles purchased before April 2019, to enrol for and install the new high-security registration plates (HSRP). As per the enrollment schedule, starting October, vehicle owners whose registration number (number plate) falls in the 0001 to 1000 category were required to approach the RTO to pay for and obtain their token, which is then taken to the vendor, Real Mazon Pvt Ltd, for installation of the HSRP. Unfortunately, though the process was planned to happen in a phased manner, there has been chaos at the RTO offices. But hopefully, all of that is about to change.

UPDATE 26.11.2019: It is no longer mandatory to follow the schedule for HSRP installation. As per the RTO, vehicle owners can apply for online and install the High-Security Registration Plate anytime in the next 5 years at their own convenience. In addition, two more fitment centres are being opened in Mapusa and Quepem to facilitate easier installations.

Online registration

Starting this Monday, the company that has been contracted to fit the new HSRPs, Real Mazon Pvt Ltd, will be setting up a system to accept online applications on their website www.realmazon.com. This will allow vehicle owners to avoid going to the RTO by applying online for their token and appointment and making the required payments as well. The process is simple, but you'll have to keep your registration and phone handy:

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• Visit http://realmazon.com/#OnlineHsrp
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• Choose the option that says 'Goa'
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• Fill in your Registration Number (GA0XAA0000) and Engine Chasis Number (both numbers are on your registration smart card or registration book)
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• On the next page, you will see a bunch of fields. Most are filled in, though you will have to provide additional information like your phone number, email address, preferred fitment location, type of vehicle, type of fuel, etc.
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• Fill in the captcha code, submit, and then you will be asked for an OTP - so keep your phone handy.
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• After submitting the information, you will be asked to make an online payment based on the type of vehicle. There is no COD available. Bikes are ₹155, and cars are ₹332. There will also be a small service fee.
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• After the payment is made, you will be returned to the Real Mazon website where a record of your transaction will be displayed along with the date that you are required to come on for the fitment.
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• There's an option to print the receipt, but if you can't, a copy will already have been sent to the email address you mentioned on the previous screen. You will also receive an SMS message on your registered phone number.

There has been a considerable amount of difficulty for vehicle owners, with wait times often exceeding 2 hours in long queues at the RTO offices. In addition, due to the weather and poor network connections, there are often server crashes and technical glitches leading to further delays. With the introduction of online applications, however, most if not all of these issues will be eliminated.

Why get a high-security registration plate?

According to Transport Director Nikhil Desai, “unless the HSRP is fitted, a vehicle registration certificate is not issued.” Apparently, the HSRP actually does have a bit of technology built-in. Desai revealed, “The HSRP has a laser embedded code which must be entered into the Vahan 4.0 software. Only after that, the registration process is complete. In other words, no HSRP means no registration. All the vehicle dealers are therefore following it.” The pros far outweigh the cons, especially at a price point of Rs. 155 to Rs. 332. With these new High-Security Registered Plates, vehicle owners can breathe easy knowing that it would make it easier to track down their vehicle in the event of theft. These plates are also very difficult to duplicate. Where the cops are concerned, these HSRPs will also crackdown on the number of fancy plates out in the wild.

Who is manufacturing the plates?

To help facilitate the process, the services of Real Mazon Pvt Ltd have been employed, and they have already set up a factory in Verna to manufacture the plates. The plates themselves have certain manufacturing standards, such as the implementation of a Hot Stamped Chromium Based Hologram, Laser Inscribed Alpha Numerals, Superior Grade Reflective Sheeting, Embossed Alpha Numerals and more. In certain cases, a third plate will be mounted on the vehicle windscreen and is said to be tamper-proof. The company which is a partnership between the Netherlands based Mazon BV and Delhi based CBM Industries has already implemented the technology in Chandigarh and Rajasthan.

For more details on the high-security registration plates and the enrollment schedule, click here.

What do you think of this new online enrollment process? Do you think it will make things easier? Share your experiences in the comments below.