If your bike is modified with a different a silencer, you can be now fined by the Maharashtra Transport Department that will begin a drive from next month against those who remove silencers from their bikes. The first time offenders will be fined and repeated defaulters’ bikes will be confiscated.
All modified bikes across Mumbai and other major cities in Maharashtra are currently being surveyed and tested out for pollution, both air and noise by the transport department. Regional Transport Offices have been already issued the directions for fining defaulters. According to the transport officials, removing silencers not only makes bikes noisy but also more polluting.
Considering a large number of complaints regarding noisy bikes, Thambi Kurien from Mumbai Rickshawmen Union, with over 9,000 members, had raised the issue with the state transport department earlier this month. He pointed out that it’s the bikers who face maximum loss when silencers are removed, as the mileage of the bike decreases and life of the bike engine is reduced to half as well.
While the maximum permissible level of noise is 80dB, two-wheelers showed average noise levels of up to 90dB, in a study conducted by NGO Awaaz Foundation. The noise levels further increase to 100dB-110 dB when the silencers are removed, bringing them at par with that of a discotheque.
Officials from the Mumbai police will keep a tab on garages responsible for modifying such bikes by carrying out joint raids at such garages, fine them and shut them down.
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