The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), in a recent notification, has mandated new BS VI four-wheelers sold in the country to have a 1cm-thick green-coloured strip marking on the existing third registration sticker.
It can be understood from the notification that the move aims to differentiate new BS VI vehicles, which have been mandated to be sold in the country from April 1, 2020, from the older ones conforming to outgoing emission regulations. The notification also states that a similar practice is being followed in some other countries abroad.
"It has been requested and brought-forth that the BS VI emission standards which have been mandated with effect from April 1, 2020 provide for strict emission norms and a request for such identification as is being made in other countries," said the order dated June 5, published by the MoRTH.
What is a third registration sticker?
In late 2018, MoRTH had issued an amendment in the Central Motor Vehicle Rules of 1989, which made high-security registration plates (HSRP) mandatory for all vehicles sold on or after April 1, 2019 in the country.
An HSRP set is supplied with the vehicle registration number embossed on it by the vehicle RTO where it is registered and it comes with two number plates for the front and rear of the vehicle, as well as a 'third registration sticker'.
This chromium-based hologram sticker, which is meant to be placed on the bottom-left corner of the windscreen from its inside, bears information regarding the said RTO, the vehicle's registration number as well two 10-digit laser-branded permanent identification numbers (PINs) corresponding to each of the plates.
It also carries the vehicle chassis and engine numbers to ensure easy identification in cases of tamper or vehicle theft. The sticker is also colour-coded according to the fuel-type of the vehicle.
While petrol and bi-fuel cars such as those running on both petrol and CNG get affixed with a light-blue background third registration sticker, diesel passenger vehicles get an orange sticker after registration.