Siliguri has stepped up its campaign against motorcycle noise pollution, with the Siliguri Metropolitan Police seizing modified silencer pipes and state tourism minister Shankar Ghosh using a road roller to crush around 200 of them on Saturday.
The action was carried out during a special enforcement drive aimed at two-wheelers fitted with illegally modified exhaust systems. Ghosh, who is also the MLA from Siliguri, drove the road roller over the seized pipes in what he described as a symbolic protest against excessive vehicle noise during the ongoing festive season.
Modified silencer pipes can make motorcycles significantly louder than vehicles fitted with standard exhaust systems. According to the report, the noise generated by such devices exceeds the legal limit of 80 decibels under Rule 120(2) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
Speaking to the media after the destruction of the seized equipment, Ghosh said the action was intended to reinforce the administration’s campaign for a quieter festive season. “We want to send a clear message that the installation of modified silencer pipes on motorcycles will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he said.
The minister also appealed to residents to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in maintaining law and order. He urged parents to counsel their children against installing modified devices on motorcycles.
The police drive forms part of a wider festive-season enforcement effort in the city. A police officer said checks were also being conducted against speeding and banned sound-emitting firecrackers.
The operation places vehicle noise within the broader responsibilities of urban policing and municipal order. Unlike stationary sources of noise, such as construction or loudspeakers, modified motorcycle exhausts move through residential streets, commercial areas and public roads, making enforcement dependent on vehicle checks and roadside intervention.
The reported destruction of the seized pipes does not by itself indicate how many riders were fined, whether vehicles were impounded or whether repeat offenders faced additional action. The report also does not specify the duration of the special drive or the number of police teams involved.
For residents, the immediate enforcement focus is on motorcycles using unauthorised exhaust modifications. The police have said that action against speeding, illegal silencers and banned sound-emitting firecrackers will continue as part of the festive-season campaign.
