Police permission must for vehicle modification

According to a senior official, the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Department has strictly instructed all the 150 auto workshops in the emirate to fall in line within one month.

Ahmed Al Balushi, Head of the Customer Control and Protection at the department, said the workshops have been alerted by the police after it was noticed that many of them are involved in introducing hazardous changes to vehicles. “As per the Ministry of Interior’s recent rules, advance permission from the police is necessary for any auto workshop to introduce any changes to the vehicle’s body or engine.”

If the workshops fail to abide by the rules they shall be liable to legal action, he added.

Al Balushi said such major changes, particularly speed enhancers, pose a critical risk to the life and safety of all road users. “Some auto workshops illegally do the changes and hence lead to fatal traffic accidents.”

Adding, he said all workshops need to keep a copy of the permission issued for the changes to be presented when requested.

“Most of the auto changes are requested by young people and are introduced to the vehicle engine.”

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com