This remote village in Kammarpally mandal, about 70 km from the district headquarters, stands out. Reason? A group of youths implement compulsory use of helmet by two-wheeler riders, not by force but in a Gandhigiri fashion. They offer helmets – gratis.
Moved by death
The brainchild of NRI Basetti Nagesh brought about a drastic change in the village and helped in reducing accident deaths. The idea’s driver was the death of his friends — Ratnapuram Harikrishna and Sakkaram Rakesh — when they came to India some five years ago. The duo died in an accident while riding a bike helmetless. Mr. Basetti and the deceased were working together in Dubai.
Soon, he shared the idea with Bokkena Shankar, another migrant worker. He, along with his friends Enugu Ganga Reddy and Krishna Panthulu in the village, came forward to arrange helmets for free use by motorbike riders in the village. Kicking off, they purchased 50 helmets and kept them available at Sri Yogeswara Kirana and General Store located at the village entrance. Members of all the 18 youth clubs in the village came together and, with the cooperation of the police, took out a bike rally to create awareness marking the inaugural of the helmet service centre on September 15, 2015.
Well-serviced
A register is maintained at the centre and kirana store owner Kasturi Gangaram lends a helmet for 48 hours to any motorbike user by entering the rider’s details along with their mobile number. Residents of other villages too are welcome to borrow. If the helmet is not returned in time, he calls up the borrower to remind. “In the last three years we lost just two helmets, but, they were replaced. During my absence, my family members give them. Some days, not a single helmet is left over and sometimes no one comes to take them,” says a beaming Gangaram. Inhabited by over 3,500 people, the village has about 1,500 motorcycles and a few scooters. Interestingly, about 400 youths from here have gone to the Gulf to work and many of them have settled comfortably, according to Bandela Raju, a local youth.
Changed and praised
The impact of the initiative? Many bikers in the villagers have bought their own helmets.
Another youngster Baikani Mahesh said that the village won accolades from all over for its campaign. So much so, Commissioner of Police Kartikeya and other dignitaries visited the village and complimented the head-savers.
“Bikers without helmet are warned against their entry into the village,” he quipped.
