‘AP’ number-plates in Telangana will change to ‘TS’

 

HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has issued an order directing owners of vehicles bearing registration number with 'AP' state code and plying in Telangana to replace it with 'TS' and the relevant district code. However, guidelines and fee structure for the change will be issued later.

The transport department on Thursday issued GO 44 and gave a notification stating that the re-assignment was done as per rule 81-A of the Motor Vehicle (MV) Rules. "In place of group of letters (i.e. AP) and code of registering authority under whose jurisdiction already the vehicle was registered or assigned, the vehicle bearing number, shall be substituted by the new group of letters (TS) and new code allotted to the district code/registering authority, without disturbing the last four numerical digits and series," the order said.

Though the order has not given a time frame for the change, it said at least four months would be given to vehicle owners to make the changes. The time window might be extended later on, it added.

When contacted, transport commissioner Sandeep Sultania told TOI that the government would issue guidelines about the procedure to be followed. Transport officials said all vehicles plying in Telangana with state code 'AP' would be given a temporary registration certificate (RC) and these temporary RCs for all the 74 lakh vehicles in the state would be posted on the transport department website.                                                                                    Motorists should download it and use it as temporary RC and later apply for permanent RC, probably by paying some amount for the smart card. At the time of issuing the permanent RC, the vehicle-owners were expected to change their number plates to the high security registration plates (HSRP). The motorists, in all probability, would have to pay for the HSRP as well.

"We are planning to make sure that motorists need not come to our office. They can make the required payment through MeeSeva or other payment methods to get the permanent registration done,'' the officials said.

When the Telangana government had issued a preliminary GO on June 17, 2014 after the state was formed, some motorists approached Hyderabad High Court taking objection for re-assignment from AP to TS. The high court, while disposing of the petition, had directed them to approach the government explaining the grounds for objection.