Hyderabad: Soon, car owners across the country would not need to keep an additional tyre in the vehicle compulsorily if they meet certain requirements, according to new government rules.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Wednesday, as part of the amendments made to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, notified that the requirement of an additional tyre has been done away with in vehicles fitted with tubeless tyres weighing up to a maximum of 3.5 tonnes if they are provided with tyre repair kits and the tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS).
The step is in line with international standards and will leave more space in the vehicles, which may also help in accommodating batteries for electric vehicles, the notification added.
The ministry also notified that the tyre pressure monitoring system installed in such vehicles (manufactured on or after 1 October 2020) should meet technical requirements as mandated by the government (in AIS 154). TPMS monitors the inflation pressure of the tyre or its variation while the vehicle is running and transmits the information to the driver, thereby providing advance information to the driver and enhancing road safety.
Read more:Gold loan vs Personal loan: Which is better?
Tyre repair kit, meanwhile, refers to an easy to repair kit stored in the vehicle, which in the incident of tyre puncture is used to seal the punctured spot in the tyre tread using specific sealant poured into the tyre along with compressed air.
All India Motor Transport Congress secretary general Naveen Kumar Gupta, however, felt that the idea of removing the spare tyre from the vehicle altogether may not be practical. “In case of a puncture, people may still find replacing a tyre much easier than repairing a tyre... especially now, when there are so many women drivers on road,” Gupta said, adding that the pricing of these additional kits should also be kept competitive in order to avoid consumer exploitation.
Meanwhile, the ministry has also notified that the windscreen and window glass of every motor vehicle -- including agriculture tractor fitted with cabin, or construction equipment vehicle fitted with cabin and combine harvester – shall be made of safety glass or safety glazing material.
