MH-12 Finally Reaches Its Limit
Pune is set to witness a major change in its vehicle registration identity after more than 37 years, with the Regional Transport Office preparing to introduce the MH-61 registration code for new vehicles.
The change comes after the Pune RTO exhausted all available combinations under the existing MH-12 format. The final ZZ series, containing 9,999 registration numbers, was exhausted earlier this week, leaving authorities with no numbers available under the current sequence.
MH-61 to Start From Monday
The new MH-61 series will begin being issued from Monday, after the completion of the process for fancy and preferred registration numbers.
The National Informatics Centre is currently carrying out backend testing required for the transition. Authorities have already invited applications for fancy numbers, which are issued to vehicle owners at an additional charge.
The introduction of MH-61 is being treated as a temporary arrangement, rather than a permanent replacement for Pune’s iconic MH-12 identity.
Pune Has More Than 44.88 Lakh Live Vehicles
The exhaustion of MH-12 reflects the enormous growth in vehicle ownership across Pune.
The Pune RTO currently has more than 44.88 lakh live registered vehicles, making it the RTO with the highest number of registered vehicles in Maharashtra.
The figure covers Pune city and parts of Pune district. Pimpri-Chinchwad and some other parts of the district come under separate RTO jurisdictions. Officials also pointed out that many older vehicles are no longer active because they have either been scrapped or transferred elsewhere.
Why Did MH-12 Run Out of Numbers?
The MH-12 code has been used for Pune vehicles since July 1, 1989, when the current vehicle-registration format was adopted.
Under the existing system, registration numbers use two state letters, two digits identifying the RTO, followed by letter combinations and a unique vehicle number. With the letters I and O excluded, the number of possible combinations is finite.
Pune has now become the first city in Maharashtra to exhaust its available combinations under the existing format.
Government Wants to Preserve MH-12
Authorities are not giving up on the familiar MH-12 identity just yet.
Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar said several alternatives were considered as the existing series approached exhaustion. These included formats such as MH-12 1A and MH-12 A1, which would allow Pune to retain the MH-12 code while expanding the available combinations.
Another proposal involved an MH-12 AAA format, but that would increase the registration number to 11 characters and require changes to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules as well as significant modifications to the National Informatics Centre’s systems.
Why MH-61 Is Being Used First
Changing the registration format permanently requires amendments to central rules and cannot happen immediately.
According to the transport authorities, introducing a revised MH-12 format would require a formal notification process, including a period for suggestions and objections. Officials estimate that at least 45 days would be required for this process.
That is why MH-61 will serve as an interim solution while the government considers whether and how the MH-12 identity can be retained.
Political Push to Save Pune’s Identity
The effort to preserve MH-12 has also received political backing.
Earlier this month, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol approached Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, requesting that Pune’s long-standing MH-12 code be retained.
Gadkari reportedly responded positively to the request. For now, however, Pune must move to MH-61 because the existing MH-12 combinations have already been exhausted.
What MH-61 Means for Pune Vehicle Buyers
For people buying new vehicles in Pune, the immediate change is straightforward: new registrations will carry MH-61 instead of MH-12.
Existing vehicles with MH-12 registrations will not be affected. Their registration numbers will remain unchanged.
The transition therefore affects the registration of new vehicles rather than changing the identity of vehicles already on Pune’s roads.
If the government eventually approves a new format that preserves MH-12, future registrations could return to the familiar code in an expanded format.
A Sign of Pune’s Rapid Growth
The exhaustion of MH-12 is more than an administrative development. It is also a reflection of Pune’s extraordinary growth in vehicle ownership over the past several decades.
From the introduction of MH-12 in 1989 to today’s enormous vehicle population, the city has undergone rapid urbanisation and economic expansion.
The temporary arrival of MH-61 therefore marks the end of one chapter in Pune’s motoring history — while the government works on a way to ensure that the city’s iconic MH-12 identity does not disappear permanently.
Summary
Pune will begin registering new vehicles under the MH-61 code after all available MH-12 combinations were exhausted, including the final 9,999-number ZZ series. The new code is a temporary measure while authorities seek approval for a revised format that could retain MH-12. Pune RTO currently has more than 44.88 lakh live registered vehicles, the highest among Maharashtra’s RTOs.
