Heavy monsoon rains and flash floods in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district recently put a modified Mahindra Thar under the microscope, not only for its heroics in community rescue efforts but also because of a controversial fine issued by local authorities. The modified off-road SUV was owned by a local man named Amal from Mezhuveli who had been deployed in the Aranmula region to help in flood relief efforts. High ground clearance in high-level vehicles was critical to evacuate stranded residents and help evacuate them from flood-ravaged areas (Rescue vehicles, evacuation of stranded people, water supply, drinking water, food packets to families).
But the vehicle was not exempt from routine traffic enforcement as it was involved in disaster management. The owner was pulled over by the Motor Vehicles Department in Adoor when he was going to get some spare parts, the report said. The penalty was Rs 7,000, with Rs 5,000 for aftermarket lights and Rs 2,000 for failing to obtain a valid pollution under control certificate. The owner said that the law is universal and he was ready to pay but that the government went after it very hard in a car which was a vital lifeline to flood survivors. The lights above the vehicle were not connected and not operational during the inspection.
The incident instantly kicked off a public debate on enforcing rigid vehicle regulations in a disaster. Kerala, for example, has a very strict policy toward unauthorized vehicle modifications, especially in the form of bright auxiliary lights, which are generally not allowed to be used on public roads due to their safety implications. But off-roaders and community volunteers said that for humanitarian rescue missions, special vehicles that are designed to be operational in the case of disaster require a more pragmatic and temporary solution, or administrative leniency to help in the case of a disaster. A lot of people said auxiliary lighting is specifically designed to improve visibility in the case of a flood, fog, and rural roads, and not to use for the purposes of daily non-compliant road use.
The situation gained momentum politically as public anger was aroused against the timing of the enforcement. The incident was widely covered by newspapers and people rallied around the rescue vehicle, prompting some political figures to take action. Kerala leader V.D. Satheesan personally contacted the owner of the vehicle and thanked him for his services and assured him that the penalty would be addressed. This incident has forced the regional transport authorities to analyze how strong road safety policy should be balanced with the indispensable role of private volunteers and modified vehicle owners in disasters.
