Pune could retain its iconic MH-12 vehicle registration identity, with the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) proposing a new “MH-12 1A” format as the existing registration series approaches exhaustion.
With Pune's existing MH-12 series nearing exhaustion after reaching the final “ZZ” sequence, the local RTO needed a long-term solution. Rejecting a shift to a three-letter sequence, authorities submitted a proposal to attach a digit and a letter immediately following the historic MH-12 prefix, as per The Indian Express.
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If approved, MH-12 1A would become the first digit-letter vehicle registration series of its kind in India, according to the proposal submitted to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
To prevent registration delays ahead of the peak festive season while awaiting final approval, authorities introduced a temporary arrangement. New vehicles purchased in Pune will be assigned the MH-61 code until the new MH-12 series is officially authorised and deployed.
Vehicle owners who receive MH-61 registrations during this interim period are expected to be allowed to shift to the new MH-12 series for a nominal fee once the proposed format comes into effect.
The temporary shift to the MH-61 code sparked concern among Pune residents, who feared the permanent loss of the city's MH-12 identity. Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol subsequently raised the matter directly with Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Gadkari responded positively to the request to preserve Pune's MH-12 identity, following which the new digit-letter proposal was put forward.
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The next step is a draft notification from the authorities. The notification is expected to invite objections and suggestions from the public before the new registration format is finalised, according to The Indian Express.
The proposed system would allow Pune to retain its familiar MH-12 identity while providing the RTO with additional registration numbers to accommodate the city's growing vehicle population.
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