No Number Plate, No Fuel: Rajkot Cracks Down On Unregistered Vehicles

Rajkot has become the first city in Gujarat to ban sale of petrol and diesel to vehicles without registered number plates, officials said on Tuesday. 

The measure has come into effect immediately and will remain in force for two months. Authorities said the restriction applies to all vehicles across the city, with no exemptions.

The decision follows a series of 15-day enforcement drives across the city, during which police found over 100 vehicles without number plates in each operation.

Police officials noted that the alarming prevalence of untraceable vehicles poses a severe threat to urban security, as these vehicles frequently evade standard monitoring systems and facilitate illicit operations.

According to senior police officials, untraceable vehicles are systematically linked to high-risk offenses, including reckless driving, road accidents, armed robbery, and broader anti-social behaviour.

Joint Commissioner of Police Chaitanya Mandlik said the police conducted several enforcement drives and during each drive over 100 vehicles were found without number plates. 

"Vehicles without number plates are involved in theft, loot, and other criminal activities. In fact, we all know such vehicles are also used in terrorist activities," Mandlik said. 

He stressed that the order would be enforced without exception, saying vehicles without number plates would not be allowed to purchase fuel. "In the interest of public safety, no fuel will be provided to vehicles without number plates," he said.

The administration has warned that fuel stations found supplying petrol or diesel to vehicles without number plates could face legal action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). 

To enforce the order, monitoring teams have been deployed to conduct surprise inspections at fuel outlets across the city.