Shillong, Jan 20: The Shillong Traffic Police (STP) on Friday requested all vehicle owners, who have retrofitted their exhaust pipes, to get them removed and replace them with the original exhaust pipes.

Violators shall be penalized as per the provision of law, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Vikash Kumar said in a statement.

He said there has been a rise in the number of vehicles, both two wheelers and four wheelers, which are retrofitted with loud exhaust pipes causing noise pollution in the city especially at unearthly hours, which is in violation of section 182A(4)/190(2) of Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 causing inconvenience to residents of the city, including children and senior citizens.

The vehicle riders have modified the noise mufflers/silencers so much so that a vehicle being driven can be heard hundreds of meters away thereby causing immense discomfort to the old aged and infirm persons as well as the young children and other persons who may require silence.