(1) The Central Government may make rules regulating the construction, equipment and maintenance of motor vehicles and trailers with respect to all or any of the following matters, namely:-
(a) the width, height, length and overhand of vehicles and of the loads carried;
1[(b) the size, nature, maximum retail price and condition of tyres, including embossing thereon of date and year of manufacture, and the maximum load carrying capacity;]
(c) brakes and steering gear;
(d) the use of safety glasses including prohibition of the use of tinted safety glasses;
(e) signalling appliances, lamps and reflectors;
(f) speed governors;
(g) the emission of smoke, visible vapour, sparks, ashes, grit or oil;
(h) the reduction of noise emitted by or caused by vehicles;
(i) the embossment of chassis number and engine number and the date of manufacture;
(j) safety belts, handle bars of motor cycles, auto-dippers and other equipments essential for safety of drivers, passengers and other road user;
(k) standards of the components used in the vehicle as inbuilt safety devices;
(l) provision for transportation of goods of dangerous or hazardous nature to human life;
(m) standards for emission of air pollutants;
2[(n) installation of catalytic convenors in the class of vehicles to be prescribed;
(o) the placement of audio-visual or radio or tape recorder type of devices in public vehicles;
(p) warranty after sate of vehicle and norms therefor:]
Provided, that any rules relating to the matters dealing with the protection of environment, so far as may be, shall be made after consultation with the Ministry of the Government of India dealing with environment.
(2) Rules may be made under sub-section (1) governing the matters mentioned therein, including the manner of ensuring the compliance with such matters and the maintenance of motor vehicles in respect of such matters, either generally in respect of motor vehicles or trailers or in respect of motor vehicles or trailers of a particular class or in particular circumstances.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section,-
(a) the Central Government may exempt any class of motor vehicles from the provisions of this Chapter;
(b) a S t ate Government may exempt any motor vehicle or any class or description of motor vehicles from the rules made under sub-section (1) subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
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1. Substituted by Act 54 of 1994, section 32, for clause (b) (w.e.f. 14-11-1994).
2 . Inserted by Act 54 of 1994, section 32 (w.e.f. 14-11-1994).