News
Hurried Gazette to allow high-powered motorbikes
View(s):They were at outer-harbour when notification was issued; nominal duty
By Damith Wickremesekera
Special laws have been promulgated to help owners of motorcycles with engine capacity up to as much as 1000cc to retain their bikes for what is termed “sports purposes.” A Government Gazette under the Transport Minister’s name was rushed to print this week giving effect to this new government policy coinciding with President Mahinda Rajapaksa announcing that new speed limits would be worked out because of the new roads that have been built across the country.
However, the new laws will prevent these motorbikes from being used on normal roads. Police Traffic Chief Amarasiri Senaratne said the motorcycles in question would not be allowed on public roads. He agreed that it would be difficult for Police, who owned motorcycles only up to 600cc maximum engine capacity to cope with those using more powerful bikes for criminal activity.
The DIG said the Police had only two 1000 cc motorcycles and they were exclusively used on the Southern Expressway. A source said that several such high-powered motorcycles had been at out-harbour without being unloaded at the time the Gazette was hurriedly printed on April 11. The Gazette notificaion states that motorcycles imported “immediately prior to the date of publication of these regulations in the Gazette” would be allowed to be brought in on the payment of a duty of Rs. 25,000.
The source said these high-powered motorbikes were unloaded after the Gazette was issued. He, however, refused to give the exact number unloaded, but said that their owners seemed to know that the new law was coming. A more important feature of this new move is that motorcycles qualifying for such concession would include those assembled in Sri Lanka. In reality there are no officially approved plants or individuals to assemble such motorcycles.
At present, motorcycles of more than 350cc are banned from being imported. The new laws will allow motorcycle owners to exceed this limit and go up to 1000cc – a capacity which is higher than the engine capacity of many Indian cars on Sri Lankan roads.
The notification says that a motorcycle having an engine capacity of 450cc or less and not more than 1001cc, may be registered under the provisions of the Motor Traffic Act, having fulfilled the following requirements:
(a) Using new components whether assembled locally or imported to Sri Lanka.
(b) For use of only sports activities and training for sports events;
(c) Obtaining prior approval of the Secretary to the Ministry in charge of Defence and Urban Development.
(d) Upon the payment of relevant fees, surcharges and other charges applicable.
The cost of registering a motorcycle for the new categories has been placed at Rs. 25,000. The Sunday Times has learnt that most of the motorcycles for which “over riding” import approval has now been given have been brought down by influential persons. “Now, they will receive approval to use them for sports purpose. However, where could one run a 1000cc motorcycle other than at an aerodrome?” asked one source.
Follow @timesonlinelk
comments powered by Disqus