Though riding a two-wheeler without sporting a helmet is illegal under traffic norms, still, such practices are common in India. While fines and imprisonment are imposed on those caught riding breaking this crucial traffic rule, but still these measures have not completely succeeded.
To counter the hazard and in a major bid to promote road safety, the district administration of Noida and Greater Noida announced on Tuesday that from June 1, two-wheeler riders without helmets will not get fuel at filling stations in Noida and Greater Noida. Holding a meeting with owners of the filling stations, District Magistrate Brajesh Narain Singh said the order must be implemented in the two cities and later it would also be rolled out in rural areas of Gautam Buddha Nagar.
In a meeting held between Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate B N Singh and petrol pump owners on May 14, a decision was reached that from June 1, filling stations located in Noida and Greater Noida will not sell petrol to two-wheelers whose riders and pillions are not wearing helmets.
“Those who reach your fuel stations without a helmet should be told that they will only get fuel if they wear a helmet. This practice will be implemented from June 1 in Noida and Greater Noida cities initially,” he told them at the collectorate in Surajpur.
Singh, who was joined by district police chief Vaibhav Krishna, said the initiative, primarily aimed at improving road safety, would later be rolled out in rural areas of Gautam Buddh Nagar too with inputs and feedback from the stakeholders.
The district administration also warned legal action, including suspension of driving license for not wearing helmet and arrest if riders without helmet misbehave with staff at filling stations. Its statement says, “When those without helmet reach filling stations, their details and vehicle numbers would be traced through CCTV footage and legal action initiated against them. Their driving license can also be cancelled.”
It further added, “In case anyone misbehaves with the staff at the filling stations, strict action would be taken against the errant person and they could even be jailed under section 151 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).”
According to the Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, not wearing a helmet while riding a two-wheeler is a violation of the law and can draw imprisonment up to six months under Indian Penal Code section 188.
All filling stations in Gautam Buddh Nagar have been instructed to carry out massive publicity on their premises about the upcoming regulation and consequences of rule violation. “It is, therefore, instructed that all petrol pumps in Noida and Greater Noida will publicise this order on their premises during the next five days that fuel will not be given to vehicles whose rider and pillion are found without helmets,” it said.
Within the next 5 days from May 14, the petrol pumps located in Noida and Greater Noida will have to install hoardings in their premises, informing that fuel will not be sold to a two-wheeler whose rider and pillion are not wearing helmets after May 31.
The administration also called on the owners of the filling stations to ensure the installation of good quality CCTV cameras on their premises so that in case of any dispute, footage of the incident could be readily available. Krishna, the senior superintendent of police, told the filling station owners, “Installing CCTV on your premises is for your own benefit. Two-wheelers are used in a lot of criminal activities and they get their vehicles refuelled. Here you can help the police with video footage. Filling stations are also targeted by criminals often and having footage can help in the probe.”
The decision has been welcomed by the Two-Wheeler Helmet Manufacturers Association as well. The association said, “Although, instead of buying Fake ISI or local helmets, good quality and BIS certified helmet should be used by the rider as well as the pillion. Through this step, people will surely get educated about the importance of wearing good quality helmets while riding and also can be aware of the consequences for the same.”
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