Only officers with ‘Z’ security can use vehicles with tinted glasses: RTO

Government officers with 'Z' security alone can use vehicles with tinted glasses, the regional transport office (RTO) has said in a circular issued recently.

The clarification follows a letter by Mumbai Traffic Police who found several government officers flouting the rule.

Supreme Court (SC) had banned in April use of tinted glasses that restrict vision beyond a limit fixed under Motor Vehicles Act. But the court said security of government officers should be ensured.

This appeared to have given officers of all ranks an excuse to use tinted glasses.

Police cracked down on private vehicles but were unable to take action against government officers flouting the rule."We had made a request to RTO in October, based on which the circular has been issued to government offices," said Brijesh Singh, additional commissioner of police (traffic). Police have so far penalised 9,992 drivers after SC expressed dissatisfaction over implementation of its order banning tinted glasses. On Christmas-eve, traffic cops booked 1,621 drivers for flouting the rule.

RTO has asked auto and taxi drivers to remove tinted glasses.While the drive is restricted to open roads across the country, Mumbai Traffic Police will implement it in parking lots too. They have been doing the rounds of public and residential parking lots and removing dark films from vehicles.

Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, recommend windscreen and rear window glasses of vehicles should have a visual light transmission of 70 per cent. For side windows, it should be at least 50 per cent.

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