Hyderabad: Some motorists in the city are changing their vehicle number plates from the old “TS” (Telangana State) series to the new “TG” (Telangana) series to avoid being caught by financers and traffic police. However, the Telangana Transport Department has warned that this is illegal, and those who do it will face criminal charges.
Transport officials explained that changing the state code on a number plate is considered tampering, which is a criminal offense. The new TG series is only for vehicles bought after the introduction of the new code. Vehicles bought before this must continue using the TS series.
Motorists in Hyderabad have found various ways to avoid detection by the police and financers. Some are tampering with their High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) by disfiguring digits or folding the plate in a way to hide the number. Others have even removed the plates entirely. Now, some vehicle owners are going a step further by changing the state code from “TS” to “TG,” which is a violation of the Motor Vehicle Act.
According to the City Auto and Motor Cab Drivers Welfare Society, more people in Hyderabad are illegally changing their number plates to dodge their vehicle financers. The society’s president, Mohammed Mahmood Hussain Makke, said that about 40 percent of vehicle owners in the city are tricking financers by altering their number plates, which is a criminal offense.
Makke further explained that HSRPs are mandatory in the state because they have an embedded registration number, and even using plates with radium numbers is against the law. However, many motorists are avoiding the use of these high-security plates and instead using regular plates.
Observers also noted that when police conduct special checks on the roads, many violators, especially young people, avoid these areas or quickly turn around. K. Venkatesh, one of the observers, suggested that the police should not only issue challans (fines) but also raise awareness among parents about this illegal activity.
The Telangana Transport Department has issued a strong warning to vehicle owners, reminding them that changing their number plates from TS to TG is illegal. Officials stressed that any such tampering is a criminal act and that strict legal action will be taken under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, against those who violate the rules.
