The heart of Mumbai...
It's making headlines again. Amidst the linguistic dispute in Maharashtra, a video of Rahil Javed Sheikh, son of MNS leader Javed Sheikh, went viral, fueling further controversy. The video showed Rahil, shirtless and seemingly intoxicated, misbehaving with Marathi social media influencer and actress Rajshri More in the middle of a street.
Rajshri More, known to be a close friend of Rakhi Sawant, shared the incident on social media. The footage reveals Rahil in a car, shirtless and speaking inappropriately to More. While Rahil's conduct is under scrutiny, the fact that he was driving shirtless also raised questions. Is there actually a dress code for driving?
To get to the bottom of this, the team at Aaj Tak spoke to Siyaram Verma, ARTO of Noida, to discover if there are specific dress code regulations for drivers.
In conversation with Aaj Tak, Siyaram Verma clarified that the transport department's guidelines do dictate a dress code for commercial vehicle drivers. They are required to wear khaki uniforms, a matching belt, and leather shoes. However, regular citizens aren't bound by any dress code - they can drive wearing any attire.
Siyaram Verma further explained that there are no fines for driving in sandals. Nonetheless, it isn't advisable, especially in the rainy season, as poor footwear can affect control over the vehicle, which could potentially lead to penalties. There's no specific rule against it.
In 2019, amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act sparked rumors that driving in sandals, half-sleeve shirts, traditional lungi, or vests was prohibited and could lead to fines. These rumors spread rapidly at the time.
Subsequently, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, refuted such claims through his official social media account. A post on his former Twitter handle highlighted, "Beware of rumors...!".
A graphic was shared with this post clearly explaining that driving in half-sleeve shirts, lungis, or vests, not keeping a spare bulb in the vehicle, having a dirty windshield, or driving in sandals do not incur any fines under the Motor Vehicle Act.
Inputs: Bhupendra Chaudhary
