Pooja Yadav, a 31-year-old biker who is on a mission to ride 5,000 km across the country to spread awareness on the importance of wearing a helmet, reached Visakhapatnam on Tuesday night. Ms. Yadav’s expedition commenced in Noida on November 20, and she has so far covered Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana before entering Andhra Pradesh. Her expedition is being funded by TRAX, a Delhi-based NGO.
Noble cause
Speaking to
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
“A large number of motorcyclists are killed in road accidents every year in the country. One of the main reasons is not wearing helmets. I wanted to take up this tour to create awareness on the importance of wearing a helmet while riding. The initiative should come from homemakers, because if a homemaker has proper awareness, she will ensure that her family members do not hit the road without a helmet,” Ms. Yadav said.
‘Family was worried’
Ms. Yadav’s husband Brijesh, who is passionate about biking, trained her three years ago after seeing her interest in motorcycles. Now, Ms. Yadav says she is confident of her riding skills. “I got the idea for this ride six months ago and discussed it with my family, who were initially apprehensive. However, my husband’s support won over my parents and in-laws,” said Ms. Yadav.
ADVERTISEMENT
The mother of a 11-year-old, Ms. Yadav says her family is overwhelmed with the support she has been getting from the police and the motorcycling clubs across the country ever since the start of her tour.
Ms. Yadav rides about 500 km every day and at every stop, interacts with members of NGOs and motorcycle associations. She also meets police officials in the cities she visits. In Visakhapatnam, she met ACP (Traffic) K. Prabhakar and his team.
Ms. Yadav’s next stop will be in Bhubaneswar, and she plans to reach Delhi by December 20 after covering Odisha, West Bengal and UP.