The sale of helmets has soared in Pune as the traffic police have launched a campaign against two-wheeler riders who refuse to wear helmets.
On Monday, the police collected almost Rs100,000 in fines as nearly a thousand riders without helmets – which included nearly 50 policemen – were hauled up for the offence.
The Bombay high court has directed the state government to enforce the compulsory helmet rule and the state’s transport department has launched a campaign in cities such as Pune, where most two-wheeler riders (and the pillion riders) avoid wearing helmets.
Pune sees the maximum number of deaths of two-wheeler riders, mainly because of the refusal to wear helmets. Unfortunately, most politicians in the city (from all the leading parties) are opposed to the compulsory wearing of helmets.
Previous attempts by the local police to enforce the helmet rule flopped because of the opposition by politicians. Maharashtra’s transport minister Diwakar Raote, from the Shiv Sena, is however, determined to change riding habits in Pune and has given strict instructions to the transport department to enforce the rule.
Source : BS Motoring
