The union transport ministry’s letter to states against the usage of bullbars on vehicles is now being implemented by police and transport departments of multiple Indian states. After Tamilnadu and Jharkhand announced a drive against bullbars last week, the latter’s police department has already begun stepping up action against vehicles with bullbars. Seen here is a Mahindra Scorpio SUV being stopped, and fined for bullbar usage. Police officials are also seen removing the bullbar on the spot. Such bullbars are likely to be seized, and destroyed.
Image courtesy LiveHindustan
Such drives are likely to intensify in the coming weeks as transport and police departments of various Indian states begin action against bullbars. In its letter to transport commissioners of all Indian states, the union transport ministry pointed out that the bullbar is illegal under Section 52 of the Motor Vehicle Act, and that it attracts penal action under other sections. It also noted that bullbars can interfere with the deployment of airbags in vehicles, and also cause severe injuries to pedestrian and other road users during accidents.
Recently, a man claiming to be a bullbar manufacturer and dealer impleaded himself into a Public Interest Litigation being heard by the Delhi High Court. In this application, he has claimed that the Section 52 of the Motor Vehicle Act does not deal with after-market fitments but only deals with modification. In his application, he says that the bullbar is an after-market fitment, and therefore does not attract Section 52. He has also called the union transport ministry’s letter against bullbars as illegal.
The Delhi High Court will hear the PIL on the 6th of February, 2018, after which it’s expected to pass a clear order on the legality of the transport ministry’s letter against bullbar usage on vehicles in India. For now, the court seems to be in favour of the bullbar ban, with the following observation: ‘human life is more important than installation of bull bars’.
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