549 noise pollution challans last year; city undeterred

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 28

Despite facing the ire of traffic police that issued parking slips to 549 errants for riding bikes with altered silencers last year, city youngsters appear to be undeterred. Such bikes, mainly Bullets, make their presence felt on almost every road in the city every day. Residents say that stringent action is required to deter the errants.

Altering bike silencer is a common practice among youngsters who want a thumping or cracker-like sound in their two-wheelers. They do it mainly to get attention of commuters on roads. Such a practice, sometimes, create a panic-like situation as a sudden gunshot sound makes people feel that something untoward has taken place. It can also result in mishaps.

The 549 challans in 2018 is more than double of 2017 when 240 challans were issued by the traffic police. Many bikes were impounded during a campaign against such riders.

Nevertheless, until and unless the manufacturing, illegal sale and purchase of altered silencers is curbed, the menace is unlikely to the see an end. Residents say that there should be a check on the availability of such equipment in the market. “The absence of any check on manufacturing and sale serves no purpose. It will create a nuisance and annoyance on the roads,” said Manmohan Singh, a retired employee of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU).

Like in metro cities, including Bangalore and Pune, the police should get such illegal equipment removed from Bullet motorcycles besides imposing a hefty fine on violators.

For producing a high-decibel sound, the youth alter the silencer, which is an offence under the Motor Vehicles Act. According to experts, originally the bikes have a stock silence with three filters in it, which produces a low sound. However, buyers alter the silencer, especially to produce a loud sound. As per the Central Motor Vehicles Rules and the Motor Vehicles Act, silencer blast is an offence.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Prabhjot Singh Virk said the traffic police would launch a special drive against motorcyclists creating ‘pataka’ (cracker) sound. The police would impound the bikes having altered silencers besides imposing fine to the tune of Rs 1,000, he added.