Admn turns a blind eye to modified vehicles

Bathinda, November 1

The plying of indigenously manufactured and modified vehicles such as ‘gharhuka’ or ‘peter rehra’ in illegal manner is going on unabated in the city.

The police, the Transport Department and the district administration have failed to check these vehicles, which are being used for transporting goods and ferrying people.

A ‘peter rehra’ is manufactured locally by using a diesel engine, used as a generator set for pumping underground water. A steering wheel, an iron frame, wooden planks and four wheels are fixed to the engine.

People blamed the lack of adequate public transport in villages for the popularity of such vehicles. In the urban belt, two-wheelers, especially bikes, are modified illegally to carry goods and passengers by fixing a wooden frame and wheels to the rear part.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has banned the plying of ‘gharhuka’ because it has proved fatal for the people and also it could not be registered under the Motor Vehicles Act. Even modified two-wheelers turned into carriage vehicles are having a free run on city roads, posing a threat to commuters.

According to information, it takes just Rs7,000 to Rs12,000 to convert a two-wheeler into an illegal carriage vehicle. In the manual book of the two-wheelers, however, manufacturing companies clearly ask people not to modify the vehicles.

DSP (City 1) Gurjit Singh Romana said: “I will direct the traffic cops to keep a tab on such vehicles and take necessary action against violators.” He said plying such vehicles was clearly a violation of the Motor Vehicles Act. — TNS