Barring Gen Z, many people in Kerala had not heard of the word ‘Puki’ until May 14.
However, by nightfall, social media was filled with memes and hashtags celebrating VD Satheesan’s ‘boiled face’, a playful smile at his first press conference as the chief minister-designate. A social media term that was till then popular only among Gen Z to express love and adoration became a topic of discussion across all age groups, across the state.
In response to a YouTuber’s question on whether he would honor his promise on vehicle modifications, Satheesan broke his now-viral “pucky” face – as if saying it would be taken care of -. Ahead of the recent assembly elections, his assurance that modifications that did not compromise safety would be allowed if the United Democratic Front came to power became an instant hit among automobile enthusiasts. Further strengthening his commitment, he said, “If a promise has been made, it will be fulfilled. That is why we have come here, to fulfill the promises.”
enter memes
However, about three weeks later, on June 4, another wave of memes hit social media, this time mocking a list of 18 vehicle modifications published by the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) that can be done without prior permission. The list barely includes any modifications, but includes accessories already in wide use – special seat covers, floor mats and steering wheel covers. Then there was chrome garnish, door visors, mud flaps, non-obscene body stickers and ambient interior lighting. Dashcam, reverse camera, parking sensors, GPS tracker, Android infotainment system, additional speakers, tire pressure monitoring system, tow hooks (provided they do not exceed the overall dimensions of the vehicle), roof carriers for personal belongings within the prescribed size limits, and sun film on side windows with a minimum visibility of 50% completed the list prepared by the department for the consideration of the state government.
Gen Z and automobile enthusiasts were clearly not impressed. “I didn’t know I was already driving a modified car,” Anish Panthalani, state president of Progressive Techies, a group of IT professionals, said in a sarcastic Facebook post. “This was just a promise made during the election campaign to influence the youth and is unlikely to be fulfilled. The MVD’s list of acceptable changes proves this,” he says.
Central approval is mandatory
However, MVD officials clarified that this was not a proposal for new permissive changes, as was widely believed. State transport commissioner CH Nagaraju explains that with discussions on vehicle modifications already in vogue, the department had codified existing permissible practices as part of the ground work. However, he acknowledged that any change in the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) requires the Centre’s approval and should be incorporated at the manufacturing stage itself.
For example, about a decade ago the Center made crash guards mandatory for heavy vehicles. But these were not to be fitted at random; Manufacturers themselves had to integrate them into that range of vehicles and obtain type approval certificates from government-recognized testing agencies such as the Automotive Research Association of India and the International Center for Automotive Technology. The same principle applies to every vehicle component, which must be designed in compliance with safety standards. He explained that every major accident is studied from three perspectives – driver, environment and vehicle behavior – based on which safety features are continuously added to vehicles.
“Only Parliament has the legislative authority to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Act (CMVA) and the rules. No state government can change it. This promise was not only populist but also misleading, as it hides the state government’s legal constraints on a matter governed by a central statute. Even insurance companies can object to accident claims involving modified vehicles, citing that such amendments violate standard norms,” says lawyer Kaliswaram Raj. Are.
ministers remain silent
Transport Minister CP John has remained mum to the media on the promised amendments. While the idea was to allow non-hazardous changes to the fee, he said there had been no discussion at the ministerial level. However, his predecessor KB Ganesh Kumar was the first to make fun of this promise. He joked that neither Satheesan nor his leader Rahul Gandhi could relax the central law to allow vehicle conversion.
“If Kerala is to legalize modifications for motor sports and 4×4 vehicles, emphasis should be placed on allowing modifications that enhance safety, durability, recovery capability and off-road functionality without creating risks to other road users. Such modifications are permitted outside India,” suggests Kottayam-based automobile enthusiast Sam Kurian Kalarikkal.
“Motor sports should be promoted to keep the youth away from drugs. Instead, the MVD also fines modified vehicles that are driven on flatbeds (open trucks) to dedicated tracks on private properties for off-road events, which pose no challenge to public safety. These vehicles also prove invaluable in accessing difficult terrain during disasters like floods,” says Sam, who founded one of the first online communities of off-road users in South India. Established one and is engaged in restoring old cars.
The sky is the limit for modifications
For connoisseurs with deep pockets, the sky seems to be the limit when it comes to modifications. Installation of high-beam lamps, excessive suspension lifts that increase ground clearance, large wheels protruding beyond the body of the vehicle, winches (heavy-duty mechanical pulling devices attached to the front or rear bumper), snorkels (external air intake pipes extending over the roof of the vehicle), and louder or modified exhaust systems are among the changes that are routinely stopped during enforcement operations in the state.
There are even companies dedicated to carrying out such modifications, as well as specialists who focus specifically on select alterations. For example, one popular modifier specializes in completely hand-crafted exhaust systems. He only takes care of one vehicle at a time, services are not available on a drive-in basis but by appointment only. Recently, he modified the exhaust of a hatchback for ₹70,000. “What I do is exquisite modification of the entire exhaust system, unlike some others who only tinker with the muffler, using a component of the exhaust, thereby creating a loud, stuttering sound that brings notoriety to people like me,” says Yuva, who runs his own firm in the Kochi city limits.
Mr Shankar, an off-roading enthusiast, confirms that Kerala is known for the most spectacular vehicle modifications, unlike the loud and gaudy modifications seen in other states. Accessories used in such modifications cost lakhs, depending on whether they are imported or not. “There are even headlamps that cost between ₹45,000 and ₹1.25 lakh. Customers pay for these accessories only for the MVD to fine them for unauthorized modifications and order them to be restored to the original condition. Why not ban the sale of such accessories altogether? Original spare parts of old vehicles will no longer be available, leaving users with no option but to customize them,” he laments. Are.
Accessories for modifications are obtained by dealers, often through import, entirely at the owners’ risk. The government imposes taxes on these goods at different levels, and during the recent Goods and Services Tax revision the tax at the retail point was reduced to 18% from the earlier high of 28%.
benefits and penalties
Mohammad Shafi, state secretary of the Car Accessories Dealers and Distributors Federation, says, “It is unfair for the government to make profit from taxation and then penalize customers for it. We supply legally permitted accessories. It is up to the customer how they use them. Simply put, accessory sales are somewhat like cigarette sales. Although the sale of cigarettes is legal, it is up to the customers not to incur fines by smoking in public.”
However, organizations working in the fields of road safety and sustainable mobility remain unimpressed with the idea of allowing vehicle modifications – dangerous or otherwise.
opposite angle
“We do not at all agree with the proposal, which we are discussing internally. At some point, such modifications could lead to much bigger problems, including law-and-order issues, as it would not be easy for enforcement agencies to identify and track such modified vehicles. We will definitely take up the matter with state government officials at the appropriate time,” says Dipanshu Gupta, co-founder of the more than decade-old Indian Road Safety Council, which leads the youth-run One of the non-profit organizations. Road safety and accident reduction.
Road safety experts believe that modifications should be allowed on a case-by-case basis, verifying whether it has safety implications for the driver and other road users. Road safety expert and director of SCMS at the Institute of Road Safety, Kalamassery, G. Adarshkumar says, “Tampering with the electrical side to install a heavy-duty music system can make the vehicle vulnerable to fire accidents. Similarly, modifications that impair the structural stability of vehicles that have been approved by the authorized testing agency at the time of manufacturing also cannot be allowed. Safety should be of utmost importance and should not be compromised.”
So far, no policy-level intervention has been taken by the state government to implement the promise of allowing vehicle modifications. Since this issue is quite low on the priority list, it does not seem that any action will be taken any time soon.
For now, the now famous “Pucky” face of the CM is all that motor enthusiasts will have to keep up with.
