Amritsar: Vehicles without valid number plates will no longer be provided petrol, diesel or CNG in Amritsar. Police Commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill has issued an order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), making the directive applicable across the jurisdiction of Amritsar Commissionerate City.
According to the police, several vehicle owners are driving with number plates removed, bent, broken, covered or altered in some manner. This makes it difficult for traffic and local police to identify vehicles.
The police said unclear or modified number plates could facilitate the use of vehicles in hit-and-run cases, chain snatching, theft, robbery and other criminal activities.
No Fuel Without Valid HSRP; New Vehicles Exempted
Under the order, vehicles in Amritsar that do not have valid High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) installed at both the front and rear will not be provided petrol, diesel or CNG.
Vehicles with removed, damaged, bent, covered or altered number plates will also be denied fuel.
New vehicles carrying a valid registration number or a valid temporary registration number have been exempted from the restriction. Ambulances, fire brigades and other essential emergency vehicles will also be exempted.
Petrol Pumps Must Display Boards, Preserve CCTV Footage
All petrol pump and CNG station operators will be required to install an information board measuring at least 3×3 feet near the entrance and refuelling area.
The board must clearly state that fuel will not be provided to vehicles without valid number plates.
Petrol pump and CNG station operators will also have to keep their CCTV and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras operational at all times. The cameras must clearly capture the front and rear number plates of vehicles entering and leaving the premises.
Operators will be required to preserve camera recordings for at least 30 days and provide the footage to police whenever required.
Fuel in Bottles or Containers Also Prohibited
Petrol and diesel pumps will also be prohibited from supplying fuel in bottles, containers or other vessels to unauthorised persons.
If a driver creates a dispute, causes a disturbance or abuses staff after being denied fuel for not having a valid number plate, the petrol pump operator can immediately inform the nearest police station or call 112.
Legal Action for Violating Order
Vehicle owners, drivers, petrol pump operators or employees found violating the order may face legal action under Section 223 of the BNSS and applicable provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
According to the police, the order aims to ensure proper identification of vehicles, strengthen monitoring of traffic violations and help keep track of vehicles potentially used in criminal activities.