Mumbai, Jun 13 (PTI) Maharashtra transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar has directed RTO officials not to take action against vehicles having cycle carriers fitted in the rear.
Bhimanwar issued a circular last week after complaints were received about people having such vehicles being penalised by Regional Transport Office personnel and flying squads as well as police though there is no law that specifically prohibits cycle carriers, an official said on Friday.
The circular has also been marked to the state’s additional director general of police (traffic), he said.
“Such rear-mounted carriers are used globally to transport cycles. Action was being taken despite there being no prohibition on such fittings,” a senior official from the transport commissioner’s department told PTI.
Cycles are part of the fitness movement worldwide, and people often attach a carrier to their vehicles to transport bicycles when going on tours or to camps, another official said.
“We are trying to spread awareness about this to encourage people to use bicycles for the protection of the environment as well as for overall health benefits,” he said.
Some motorists also complained that, similar to cycle carriers, RTO and police were also taking action against roof-mounted luggage carriers even though rules do not prohibit them.
The transport commissioner should also come up with clear directives about these as well, they added.
“Luggage carriers have become a necessity for cars, especially in the case of hatchbacks and ones fitted with CNG kits. But RTOs and police unnecessarily trouble motorists by slapping penalties,” rued Pune resident Jagdish Patil. PTI KK BNM
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