New Delhi | A Gwalior man's unusual car makeover, with his girlfriend leaving around 3,400 lipstick kiss marks on the vehicle, ended with a Rs 5,500 fine and an order to remove the marks, highlighting a lesser-known aspect of motor vehicle law -- vehicle owners cannot make modifications or alterations that violate prescribed rules.
The car had been driven around Gwalior's City Centre for two days before a video of it went viral. Traffic police traced the vehicle and imposed the fine on its owner under the Motor Vehicles Act, besides directing him to remove the lipstick marks.
The unusual action in Gwalior raises a relevant question for Delhi motorists: what modifications or practices can land a vehicle owner in trouble in the national capital?
A senior Delhi Traffic Police officer said a vehicle owner cannot freely alter a vehicle after purchasing it from a manufacturer.
"When someone buys a vehicle from a showroom, it complies with the prescribed traffic and motor vehicle guidelines. For any further changes, one has to take permission, which will be examined by the competent authority. Whether the permission should be granted or rejected is decided after verification and on the basis of the reason for which the owner wants to make the change," the officer said.
Under Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, alterations to a vehicle are regulated, particularly where they make the particulars in the registration certificate differ from those originally specified by the manufacturer. The law provides for permission from the registering authority in cases where an alteration is permissible.
The officer said modifications that substantially change the vehicle's appearance or prescribed specifications can invite action.
"Any modification that changes or hides the original identity or make of the vehicle, changes its entire colour without the required permission, or involves prohibited fittings such as tinted glass can land the owner in trouble under the Motor Vehicles Act. Depending on the nature of the violation, enforcement authorities can also take action against or impound the vehicle as permitted under law," he said.
One of the most common violations is tinted glass. Delhi Traffic Police says black films or extra tinting are prohibited. Factory-fitted glass must allow at least 70 per cent visible light transmission through the windscreen and rear window and 50 per cent through side windows.
The officer further said that loud aftermarket silencers are another concern, particularly on motorcycles. The Central Motor Vehicles Rules require vehicles to be fitted with silencers and comply with prescribed noise standards. Owners cannot treat a modified exhaust as a permissible alteration simply because the motorcycle remains otherwise roadworthy.
Similarly, extra or excessively powerful headlights, unauthorised additional lights and improper use of high beams can cause enforcement action. High-beam use in built-up urban areas can dazzle other motorists and is specifically covered under traffic enforcement rules.
The officer further said that pressure horns and multi-toned horns are also prohibited. Vehicle owners cannot install horns that produce harsh, shrill, loud or alarming sounds.
The use of "Press" or other official-looking signs on private vehicles can also attract scrutiny where they falsely suggest an official status or violate prescribed vehicle markings. A sticker does not by itself confer any special privilege on the road.
Vehicle owners also cannot simply change the registered colour of their vehicle or undertake substantial structural modifications without following the prescribed approval and registration process.
The officer said motorists should not assume that a modification is permissible merely because it does not affect the vehicle's mechanical functioning.
"Every vehicle owner must follow the prescribed traffic and motor vehicle rules. Before making any alteration, they should check whether permission is required rather than making the change first and approaching the authorities later," he said.
The Gwalior episode may have involved an unusual modification, but for Delhi motorists the takeaway is more conventional -- tinted windows, unauthorised lights, loud exhausts, prohibited horns, unauthorised colour changes and other modifications can turn a personal style choice into a traffic violation.
Recently, the Delhi Traffic Police during a week-long citywide enforcement drive, issued 7,675 challans for wrong-side driving, 22,992 for riding without a helmet and 1,568 for triple riding. The drive targeted traffic violations that pose a serious risk to the safety of motorists, pedestrians and other road users.
Focused enforcement was also carried out against e-rickshaws at congestion-prone locations. A total of 7,298 challans were issued to e-rickshaw drivers for violations, while 63 e-rickshaws were impounded for offences warranting such action.
The traffic police said that they will also launch a citywide operation to check vehicles that are not following the norms.
