Hyderabad: Tinted-glass vehicles, illegal sirens under city police glare

Hyderabad : As mercury levels spikes, black films and heavily tinted glasses are back in the city. Along with black films, major offence of illegal use of sirens and pressure horns are also on the rise. However, to keep a check on these violations, the city police launched a special drive against tinted glasses and the use of unauthorised sirens.

Most of the cars plying on city roads are seen with black tinted windows to beat the heat, which is prohibited in the city. In 2012, the Supreme Court issued a complete ban on black films on glasses of all vehicles throughout the country.

As per the Road Transport Authority (RTA), black films are completely prohibited, though the brand manufactured tinted glasses are with 30 per cent is permissible and one with the tinted windows, Traffic police is imposing Rs 1,000 as challan for the violation and peeling off the film from the glasses.

Tinted glasses usually block the side and rear views which can lead to accidents. Some car owners are also using sunshades and curtains and some high-end cars are having the facility to draw up black screens.

"Nearly 60 per cent of the cars in the Greater Hyderabad limits are tinted with starting 50 per cent tinted to whole black tinted glasses," pointed out M Dayanand General Secretary Telangana Autos and Motors Welfare Union.

"There is a lack of awareness among the people against the tinted windows. The car decors and accessory shop owners are illegally fixing black films by telling the car owners that it was 'RTA approved'.

The Traffic police along with the Vigilance department must take a serious note and create awareness and also take action against the car decors shops," said Dayanand.

Moreover, the usage of sirens on private and personal vehicles are also rising in the city. The use of sirens creates a disturbance in traffic flow and can also lead to accidents.

Following several complaints flooded on social media like Twitter, Hyderabad police commissioner CV Anand asked its officers to conduct a special drive against the illegal use of sirens in the city. The police have been directed to detain and seize all vehicles using unauthorized sirens.

He also directed the police to check ambulances, which have been reported to be using sirens even when they are not carrying patients or carrying fake patients.

As per orders, sirens are allowed only in vehicles such as ambulances, firefighting, for salvage purposes, vehicles used by police officers or operators of construction equipment vehicles and officers of the Motor Vehicles Department. Therefore, any other use of sirens is illegal, and the police will take strict action against those violating the law.

Following the Commissioner's orders, Hyderabad Traffic Police conducted a drive in the city under the supervision of Traffic ACP (East Zone) S Sampath Kumar and booked cases against the violators.