If you think the dark, tinted film on your car windows and rear wind screen provides you some privacy on the road, be warned! It’s illegal and you could be issued a challan for Rs 500 or more.
Law enforcers will soon start a drive to enforce an apex court direction banning the use of dark tinted film and ensuring that transparency levels are maintained. The traffic police will take up an education drive to convince the vehicle owners to remove the tints. Imposition of penalties would start from October 25, Additional CP (Traffic) C.V. Anand told reporters here on Saturday.
The Supreme Court’s directive specifies the visibility levels of the safety glasses that should be maintained as per the Central Motor Vehicle Rules. According to Rule 100, the Visual Light Transmission (VLT), i.e. transparency of the glasses, for front and rear wind screens should be 70 percent or more and side window glasses should have a minimum VLT of 50 per cent. The Apex Court had also ruled that black film of any transparency should not be used on the glasses of four-wheelers.
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“There was some confusion about the implementation of the directive leading to a delay in enforcement,” Mr. Anand said.
The traffic police will also shortly purchase Luxometers which can test the visibility of a car window or windshields. “Once we acquire this equipment, we will crackdown on vehicles whose VLT percentage cannot be determined visually,” he said. The police will also station auto mechanics on roads to remove the tinted films.
However, official vehicles of VVIPs with ‘Z’ and ‘Z+’ security will be permitted to use dark film tints for security reasons, Mr. Anand said. “The list of people with these security covers is already with us and any decision on adding any one to this list will be taken by a committee comprising the DGP, CP and Home Secretary on a case by case basis,” he explained.
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