Rs 20 Crore Firefighting Platform Remains Grounded for Eight Months Nagpur’s municipal corporation (NMC) has been unable to deploy its newly procured 20-crore, 70-metre hydraulic firefighting platform for the past eight months due to unresolved registration issues with the Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH). The vehicle, designed to tackle fires in the city’s rapidly growing high-rises, remains stuck in a bureaucratic limbo despite completing technical trials. The platform, imported directly from Finland, was purchased in November 2025 after the NMC spent 15.10 crore on procurement and an additional 4.72 crore on customs duties. Nagpur city RTO official Kiran Bidkar confirmed to The Times of India that the vehicle cannot be registered until MoRTH approves its model, as it is not listed on the national homologation portal. “Such imported vehicles require a special process,” Bidkar said. “We conducted the inspection, prepared the report, and sent it to MoRTH in New Delhi around two to three months ago, but the proposal is still pending.” Bidkar emphasized that the RTO had guided NMC officials through the registration procedure from the start and offered all possible assistance. “They should have discussed the process with the RTO before importing the vehicle to avoid such issues,” he added. The delay has left Nagpur without its most advanced firefighting equipment, despite a surge in high-rise buildings over recent years. The platform was specifically acquired to address the city’s inability to reach buildings exceeding 70 metres, a capability lacking in the existing fleet. Technical trials have been completed, but without registration, the vehicle cannot be deployed on city roads.#the_times_of_india #nagpur_municipal_corporation #kiran_bidkar #union_ministry_of_road_transport_and_highways #nmc_fire_department
Nagpur RTO Launches HSRP Enforcement Drive Starting July 1, Fines Imposed Vehicle owners in Nagpur and across Maharashtra are being urged to comply with the mandatory installation of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) as Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) and traffic police prepare to enforce the requirement starting July 1. The initiative, part of a state-wide crackdown, will target drivers who have not installed HSRP or booked an appointment for installation. Officials clarified that those who booked an HSRP appointment by June 30 will be exempt from penalties until their scheduled installation is completed. Under the enforcement drive, violators operating vehicles without HSRP will face a fine of Rs 1,000 under the Motor Vehicles Act. The operation in Nagpur will be conducted jointly by RTO (City) and RTO (East), led by regional transport officer Kiran Bidkar, and RTO (rural), headed by Vijay Chavhan, alongside traffic police. Fourteen flying squads have been deployed across the three RTOs to conduct inspections and take action from July 1. The enforcement comes amid low compliance rates. Data from the Maharashtra transport department reveals that out of 14.35 lakh eligible vehicles in Nagpur’s three RTOs, only 7.77 lakh owners have booked HSRP installation appointments, while 7.02 lakh vehicles already have the tamper-proof plates. This means just 48.9% of eligible vehicles have completed the formalities, with appointment bookings at 54.1%. Officials noted that half of the vehicle owners remain non-compliant. The crackdown also expands restrictions on services for vehicles without HSRP.#nagpur_rto #maharashtra_transport_department #kiran_bidkar #vijay_chavhan #hsrp_enforcement
