Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) is set to produce its own high-security number plates for vehicles at a new facility to be established at the Institute of Driver Training and Research in Edappal. 

Tenders for the required machinery have been issued. Although the project was approved during Antony Raju's tenure as transport minister, the incumbent minister, K.B. Ganesh Kumar, has shown little interest in it. Despite this, Transport Commissioner S. Sreejith is proceeding with the project, as government approval has already been granted.

According to central law, as of April 2019, high-security number plates are required for all vehicles, including older ones. MVD has been authorised to establish its own manufacturing unit in response to large companies and non-state entities targeting the state's number plate market, which services 1.80 crore vehicles. When all old vehicles update their number plates, the potential market value is estimated to be at least Rs 1,000 crore.

States are permitted to either manufacture their own number plates or allow all approved companies to operate, potentially granting a monopoly to the company with the lowest bid. Kerala aims to pursue the first option to avoid potential controversies associated with the latter approaches.

However, the exclusion of start-ups from the tender process has sparked complaints. There are allegations that the tenders called were for setting up printing units with private participation, rather than for purchasing machinery.