Cops Seize Vehicles with Modified Exhausts, But Let Go Sellers
Hyderabad: Police across the state seize motorcycles which have modified exhausts that create nuisance with loud noises and sound pollution. In some occasions, they seize vehicles and fine the vehicle owners, while in some instances they detach the remodeled exhaust and replace it with the original exhaust.
However, little to no action is taken against shops and stores, which sell the exhausts.
Several shops in Ramkote sell aftermarket exhausts for motorcycles. They offer different types of silencers, which contrary to its name, makes noises that are louder than what the original exhaust would.
When Deccan Chronicle spoke to an accessories seller in Ramkote, he said they offer silencers such as ‘Long Bottle’ costing Rs 900, ‘Short Bottle’ (Rs 1,350), ‘Punjabi’ (Rs 1,200), ‘Fighter’ (Rs 2,450) and hundreds of other models.
He pointed out that they sell unconventional exhausts like ‘Machine Gun’, which has a rotating end similar to a machine gun and ‘Chat Pat’ that makes a deafening low-pitched noise.
Another seller said that in order to fit the silencer they remove the original exhaust and the pipe and weld the aftermarket silencer with another pipe.
The use of aftermarket exhausts that create a noise of more than 80 deciBels is banned by the Centre. According to the Indian Motor Vehicles Act 1988, if owners alter their vehicle by retrofitting parts with aftermarket products will be imprisoned for up to six months or fined Rs 5,000.
The Act also says that anyone selling or offering to sell any component for vehicles, which does not comply with it, will be imprisoned for one year or fined Rs one lakh or both.
Although the police are active in seizing vehicles with modified aftermarket exhausts, they seldom stop shops from selling such products.