Spl DGP hints at major action against illegally modified vehicles in state

Now, if you are caught plying modified vehicle on road, be it for private or commercial purpose, the traffic police are not going to spare you. Depending upon the extent of violation, your vehicle either can be impounded by the police or the offender can be made to pay heavy penalty.

In this regard, the Punjab Police are set to begin a special drive. All types of vehicles, including two- wheelers, three-wheelers or four-wheelers, defying the norms of the Motor Vehicle Act will face action.

The Special Director General of Police (Spl DGP), Traffic and Road Safety, Punjab, Amardeep Singh Rai, convened a statewide high-level meeting of the Gazetted Rank Traffic Nodal Officers, including ADCPs, ACPs, DSPs, SPs at the Police Lines, Ludhiana. From the Ludhiana police, ADCP (Traffic) Gurpreet Purewal and ACPs Jatin Bansal and Gurdev Singh attended the meeting.

DGP Rai said the meeting was attended by six officials of the rank of the superintendent of police (SP) and 21 deputy superintendents of police (DSP) from across the state. The primary agenda of the meeting was to convey and implement the directions of the DGP, Punjab, regarding action against modified vehicles in compliance with the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Addressing the officers, the Special DGP emphasised that illegal and unapproved modification of vehicles was strictly prohibited under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. He instructed all field officials to ensure strict enforcement against such violations and to take appropriate action in accordance with law.

Reiterating a zero-tolerance approach, he directed that no dereliction of duty will be tolerated in this regard. He further advised the officials to intensify field checking and awareness efforts to ensure compliance and promote road safety across the state.

“All types of modified vehicles that may include use of wide alloy wheels, modification in body, high beam lights, noise emitting modified silencers or any kind of extra fitment that defy the rules of the MV Act will come under the scanner of the traffic police. Immediate action as per law will be taken against the offenders,” Rai said.

He specifically mentioned the use of rehras, gharuka or jugaad vehicles (rehris fitted behind motorcycles), which are being used to transport goods would also face strict action. Even use of passenger vehicles for transporting goods would also come under the ambit of law and might face serious legal action.

Entities carrying out illegal modification may also face legal action

When asked if shops who do illegal modification will also face action, DGP Rai stated that such entities resorting to illegal modification will definitely face action. Like shopkeepers modifying cars or fitting noisy silencers on bullet motorcycles should also stop the practice immediately, else they may also land in legal trouble. “Once a modified vehicle is caught, besides taking action against the owner of the modified vehicles, the police will verify links and action will be taken as per the norms,”he claimed.