"Cops told not to be stern on motorists not wearing helmets"

A three-member panel has been formed to look into pleas on relaxing the helmet rule in Puducherry, Chief Minister V Narayansamy said today.

A three-member team under the chairmanship of Transport Secretary Arun L Desai has been formed to look into the representations made by various political parties including the ruling Congress seeking relaxation of the rule making wearing of helmet compulsory, he said.

Responding to a question on whether the rule on motorists wearing helmets compulsorily had been kept in abeyance in the wake of the formation of the committee, the Chief Minister said: "I do not want to say anything more. The police have been asked not to be stern against those defaulting in using helmets."
 

He said government had enforced the rule on making wearing of helmets compulsory on May 1.

He was speaking to reporters after presiding over an hour-long emergency meeting of the State Road Safety Council.

The other two members of the panel would be Senior Superintendent of Police Rajiv Ranjan and Transport Commissioner S D Sundaresan.

The Chief Minister said the committee would look into the representations made by political parties and other sections seeking relaxation of the "compulsory helmet rule." It would also enlist views of the public on the issue and submit its report in a week's time to the government.

Narayanasamy said police have now been asked not to be "rigid and severe" in their action against those riding two-wheelers without wearing helmets.

A meeting of the ruling Congress party's executive also had stated yesterday that the helmet rule was causing hardships and hence should be relaxed.

He said in the three days since the rule was enforced as many as 3,000 persons who were riding two-wheelers without using helmets were slapped a Rs 100 fine each.

The Road Safety council meeting was attended among others by PWD Minister M O H F Shah Jahan, Chief Secretary Manoj Parida and officials of the Transport and PWD besides some fleet operators.