Kerala RTO is just about to start a very stringent drive against motorcycles fitted with modified exhausts. This time around, the RTO of the state won’t let offenders get away with fines, or for that matter, seize the exhausts. Instead, the RTO plans to suspend the all-important Registration Certificate or the RC of the motorcycles fitted with modified exhausts to send out a very stern message.
What this means is, motorcycles whose RCs are cancelled will no longer be eligible to ply on roads. This will also make insurance void, effectively rendering these motorcycles illegal on public roads. The RC will be restored once the modified exhausts are removed.
Deputy transport commissioner M P Ajithkumar said,
There are over 1,000 bikes in Ernakulam that are operating with modified silencers. We had just been fining them but as part of the special initiative of the MVD, which aims at tackling noise pollution this year, we will now be suspending their RC under the provision of section 53 of the Motor Vehicles Act. The owner will not be allowed to ride the vehicle during the period of the suspension. There are many cases where we have made the owner change the silencer without making them pay the fine. Earlier in 2015, there were cases were bike stores were doing these modifications but it has stopped in Ernakulam. Still, these silencers are available in other places in Alappuzha and Kollam. None of the companies that are selling these modified silencers are authorized or approved by the nodal agencies as per the Motor Vehicles Act.
While after market exhausts continue to be available through many dealers in multiple parts of Kerala, these are not meant for on-road use. Dealers and manufacturers of these exhausts cannot be held liable by the RTO as they clearly specify that such exhausts are for off-road or competition use. So, the onus is on the motorcycle owners to make sure that the vehicle used by them abides by the law.
Via ETAuto