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| The report published in The Telegraph on September 27 and (above) a pair of pressure horns for sale at a Bistupur store in Jamshedpur |
East Singhbhum district traffic police and transport department have finally woken up to hear the noise.
Authorities will launch a crackdown on vehicles using pressure horns in Jamshedpur from Saturday, a decision that was taken on Thursday as the fallout of The Telegraph report, “Keep honking, it’s banned only on paper”.
Addressing the media at the district transport office on district collectorate campus on Thursday, motor vehicles inspector Awdesh Kumar, traffic DSP Rakesh Mohan Sinha and district transport officer George Kumar said they consulted East Singhbhum senior superintendent of police Akhilesh Jha and East Singhhbhum deputy commissioner Himani Pande regarding The Telegraph report.
The report had highlighted the rampant violation of Supreme Court and Motor Vehicles Act (1988) orders by owners of cars and bikers who blow pressure horns to make their presence felt on roads. But this noisy manifestation of ego causes health problems from hypertension to deafness.
The authorities said that for the crackdown to start from Saturday, they had directed traffic police stations at Sakchi, Bistupur, Jugsalai, Mango and Telco to start random checks. Orders to this effect were issued on Thursday by traffic deputy superintendent of police Rakesh Mohan Sinha.
District transport officer Kumar added that the drive would continue till Dussehra.
“We have been told that use of pressure horns is rampant among teen bikers and youths driving four-wheelers. They honk to create noise pollution, tease girls and muscle their own way on the road. With festivities coming up, we will take no chances,” said Kumar.
First-time offenders found using pressure horns will be fined Rs 1,000 and politely asked to get their horns removed. A fine of Rs 2,000 will be slapped on second-time offenders and their horns seized.
This apart, authorities said they would also simultaneously launch a crackdown on cars with tinted windows beyond the permissible norms.
DSP traffic Sinha said visual light transmission or VLT should be at least 70 per cent for front and rear screens and 50 per cent for the side windows. The Supreme Court, in May this year, had issued the guideline.
“Many youths carry out nefarious activities inside their cars with tinted windows. Many cars use tinted film on windows as a shield from the sun, but we want the insides of the vehicles to be clearly visible so that illegal activities are curbed,” Kumar said. “This drive will also start from Saturday,” he added.
In this case too, first-time offenders will be fined Rs 1,000 and second-time ones Rs 2,000. Tinted film will be stripped off windows on the spot.
Will the crackdown succeed? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com
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