More important problems than tinted glass to deal with: Traffic SP

PATNA: The city traffic cops, it seems, are yet to take any lesson from the Delhi gang-rape incident that took place in a moving bus with tinted glass and heavy curtains. All the vehicle repair centres in the city openly put coloured films on the window glasses of vehicles, right under the nose of traffic police.

SP (traffic), Patna, Chandrika Prasad said, "We had launched a drive against tinted glass in December last. The drive was intensified after the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction over the tardy implementation of its directive banning the use of tint beyond the permissible limit on vehicles windows. We have fined approximately 1 lakh vehicle owners in Patna district alone."

But the motor garage mechanics at prominent places like Exhibition Road, Bailey Road, Ashok Rajpath, near Rajendra Nagar terminal and Gai Ghat are fitting tinted films on car window glasses.

According to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, the glasses of windscreen and rear windows of vehicles have a visual light transmission of 70% and for side windows it should be at least 50%. Vehicle manufacturers or car owners often flout the norm.

According to Prasad, "There is severe manpower crunch in the traffic department and we cannot always focus on one issue. There are several other things to do in a capital city like Patna. We cannot conduct raid on the premises of motor service stations and repair garages."

Another traffic cop preferring anonymity said, "Generally, homeguards and constables are deployed on roads to check such malpractices. But only an officer can check and impose fine on any vehicle being used by a VIP or VVIP having dark films on their car windows." He added, "There are school buses that are using tinted glass on their windows. People need to be more cautious about using the films as we hold random checking of cars."

Raju Pushkar, a garage owner near Sheikhpura, Patna, said, "The price varies depending on the quality of the film and also on the colour selected by the customer. It takes minimum of Rs2,000 to maximum of Rs6,000 for covering up four side windows of any light motor vehicle. We charge between Rs2,000 and Rs4,000 for fixing films on windscreen and rear windows. During Summer, the demand for coloured films go up due to scorching sun."