Failed vehicle number plate project led to removal of province code

Colombo, April 24 (Daily Mirror) - The Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has admitted that the removal of province codes from vehicle number plates was due to a failed project.

Officials told the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance (COPF) that province identification and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) were introduced during Sri Lanka’s civil conflict to help the Police identify where vehicles came from.

However, the system did not work as planned because the Police did not have the equipment needed to read the RFID technology. As a result, the province code and RFID features were later removed from number plates.

DMT officials also said that some people were paying high prices for special number plates, which was another reason for changing the system.

When asked whether the Police can now identify vehicles using such technology, officials said this is not possible at present. They added that the Police have said the system is no longer needed, as there is no war situation, and there has been no request to bring it back.

COPF Chair Harsha de Silva criticised the project, calling it a waste of public money, saying it was introduced without the required equipment in place.