Cops fine comm vehicles with tinted glass, curtains
Times of India | 24 August 2024
Kolkata: As a part of a special drive to ensure safety for women in public transport, Kolkata Traffic Police is imposing fines on vehicles that have illegal tinted film on window glass.
Any modification to a vehicle’s windows that reduce visibility is considered illegal. Use of dark tinted films makes windows opaque and difficult to see if a crime is committed inside the vehicle.
This week, at least four cars have been issued challans daily for using tinted glass.Since Monday, at least three commercial vehicles, including mini buses and tourist coaches, have been asked to remove curtains from the windows. According to cops, per year, around 900 vehicles are prosecuted for using tinted films beyond the permissible limit. “A crackdown on both tinted glass and curtains has been ordered,” said a cop.
According to police, a total of 7,645 challans against vehicles using illegal tinted glass have been issued between Jan 2018 and June 2024.
“We usually fine vehicles with tinted glasses under three categories. The first is under 100 (2) of Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) and 177 of Motor Vehicles (MV) Act. This rule says that the front and rear windows of motor vehicles must allow minimum visibility of no less than 70% and the side windows must allow a minimum visibility of 50%,” said the officer. He added, “The second challan is levied by slapping section 100 of CMVR and 177 of MV Act (the glass of windscreen of every vehicle shall be safety glass, where visual transmission of light is not less than 70%). The third is the most stringent section under 100 (2) of CMVR and 39, 52 and 192 of MV Act and this deals with use of coloured laminated films on windows and windscreens.”