The Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety has directed the Puducherry government to implement the helmet rule throughout the Union Territory for both two-wheeler and pillion riders.
In a communication addressed to the Chief Secretary of the Government of Puducherry, S. D. Banga, Secretary to the Committee, said the committee had taken cognisance of a report on a private channel on February 13, 2019 that the UT government was not implementing the law relating to helmets in Puducherry.
The committee pointed out that as per Section 129 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, every person driving a motorcycle should wear a helmet conforming to the Bureau of Indian Standards.
“The Act does not provide for any exemption [to anyone] from wearing helmets except Sikhs wearing turban. In the interest of road safety, you are requested to kindly implement the law throughout Puducherry, both for main and pillion rider,” the communication stated. Mr. Banga said the committee had not been receiving quarterly reports in respect of Puducherry on traffic violations indicated in its letter dated August 18, 2015. The government should ensure that the quarterly reports on the prescribed proforma were sent to the committee regularly, he said. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi has stressed the immediate need to enforce the helmet rule in Puducherry since the Supreme Court had finally stepped to give a clear message that there was no discretion in this matter.
In a WhatsApp message, she said that the helmet rule must be addressed in letter and spirit for the safety of all.
Meanwhile, the traffic police have been going ahead with the drive to enforce the rule and have intensified checks across Puducherry.
Spot fine
A senior police officer said the traffic police imposed a spot fine of ₹100 on as many as 818 two-wheeler riders on Monday. The intensive drive fetched ₹1,12,000 including ₹81,800 for not wearing helmets and for other traffic related offences. The police noted down numbers of around 5,000 motorists not wearing helmets on an average, he said. The numbers of as many as 4,936 two-wheeler riders were noted on Monday evening, he added.
