Do you use illegal sirens in four wheelers? Be ready for action by Hyderabad traffic police

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad Traffic Police, which is currently taking strict action against the use of sirens by four wheelers, booked 1,557 persons in the last 12 days.

The traffic police not only booked cases against illegal sirens but also removed illegally-installed sirens from vehicles throughout the city.

The Hyderabad Traffic Police launched a crackdown on the usage of sirens by four-wheeler owners in order to alert fellow vehicles for traffic clearance, causing aggravation of trouble to commuters.

According to the traffic police, the act of such vehicle owners who used sirens unauthorizedly was a flagrant violation of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Hyderabad Traffic Police initiated these special campaigns against owners of vehicles that utilised sirens in the previous 12 days upon the orders of Hyderabad City Police Commissioner C.V. Anand.

The High Court also encouraged the traffic officers to take stern disciplinary action against horn law violators and seize sirens and multi-toned horns from vehicles.

The traffic police also warned that a criminal complaint would be registered if the people violated Rule 119 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.

According to the traffic police, several owners of car decor businesses and mechanics were installing illegal sound producing devices, such as sirens and multi-toned horns, to vehicles in order to make more money.

The Hyderabad Traffic Police Department also issued 134 notices to all cars decorators/mechanics, directing them to refrain from installing sirens and

warned them with legal action.

The Hyderabad Traffic Police would also hold discussions with car décor business owners in this regard.

The Hyderabad Traffic Police had also urged vehicle owners, particularly those of automobiles and SUVs, not to fit/use Sirens unauthorizedly, and had advised car décor owners that fitting Siren/Multi toned horns was a violation of Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The police also advised drivers of approved cars equipped with Sirens to use them cautiously and only in an emergency.

The police department would continue these special drives until the last siren was removed.

Rule 119 of Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989

• Rule 119 : Horns
• “(1) …..
• (2) No motor vehicle should be used with any multi-toned horn giving a succession of different notes or with any other sound-producing device giving an unduly harsh, shrill, loud or alarming noise.
• (3) Nothing contained in sub-rule (2) shall prevent the use on vehicles used as Ambulance or for Fire fighting or Salvage purposes or on Vehicles used by police officers or Operators of construction equipment vehicles or Officers of the Motor Vehicles Department in the course of their duties or on construction equipment vehicles of such sound signals as may be approved by the registering authority in whose jurisdiction such vehicles are kept”.
• The law related to sound producing devices is clear that “No motor vehicle shall fit “Multi-toned horns / any other sound producing device”. Section 52 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 exclaims that “No owner of a Motor Vehicle should alter the vehicle that the particulars contained in the certificate of registration are at variance with those originally specified by the manufacturer”.