Hyderabad: Modified silencer sales continue unabated

Nampally: Despite the City Traffic police booking 1,134 cases against violators modified company-fitted silencers for emitting more noise and seizing more than 50 bikes, they are still being sold in large numbers in local automobile market.

Though it does not require any separate permit or licence to sell modified silencers, a large number of spare parts shops in the city are openly selling them.

Mainly two-wheeler drivers are removing company-fitted silencers and fixing altered silencers which emit more noise-causing pollution as well as irritation and inconvenience to the public, especially senior citizens and people undergoing treatment in hospitals.

According to ENT specialists, sound level above 65 decibels is injurious to health. If it clocks 75 decibels may result in serious health issues, such as anxiety and cardio-vascular diseases. Sounds produced by such silencers cross that limit.

There are more than 80 bike accessories stores selling modified silencers priced from Rs. 5,000 to even Rs. 15,000 only in Ramkoti, one of the largest two-wheeler spares market of City. The auto shops increased sale of tampered silencers this year in view of public demand.

According to an owner of automobile store in Ramkoti, there is a huge demand for modified silencers in the city, mostly for bikes, as companies like Royal Enfield, Yamaha and Honda have reduced the noise of silencers of their bikes. People after purchasing bikes from showrooms come to auto shops to fix modified silencer.

"Though the city traffic police has seized hundreds of two-wheelers with modified silencers, these silencers are being sold at many bike modification stores in the city. These stores need to stop selling such silencers. Only then drivers would stop fitting noisy silencers to their bikes," said RTA activist Dayanand. Further "permanent action should be taken by the Traffic police to stop sale of modified silencers. It doesn't need any licence. That is the reason automobile stores are openly selling them and mechanics are fixing them," said Dayanand.

Speaking to The Hans India, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Kumar said: "Soon the Traffic police would identify the automobile shops selling modified silencers and serve notices to them and mechanics to stop fixing such tampered silencers to bikes."

He informed that cases would be registered if they violate orders. They shall be punishable under the law. However, the traffic police had announced that notices would be issued, but no action was initiated by the department.