If you are riding to a fuel station in Hubballi and Dharwad in Karnataka, ensure you are wearing a helmet.
In a novel way to encourage riders in the twin cities to wear helmets, the police in Hubballi and Dharwad will launch the no-helmet-no-fuel campaign starting fom Thursday.
The police are looking to ensure that at least 90% of the total two-wheeler riders in the twin cities comply with the helmet rule. The plan was proposed after the police was alarmed by statistics which revealed that only 30% of the riders in the two cities wore a helmet.
Banners and posters have been put up in 68 fuel stations as well as public spots informing riders that fuel will not be sold without a helmet.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime and traffic) BS Nemgouda told the Times of India that the police held meetings with fuel station owners and 14 two-wheeler showrooms in the two cities.
“We’ve urged showrooms not to deliver a new two-wheeler without a helmet and also do not accept bike service requests if there’s no helmet. Likewise, we’ve asked the road transport authorities not to register bikes whose owners do not have a helmet,” he said.
One police officer has been deployed at each fuel station to ensure that the rule is followed and to quell any fights that may occur if the rider decides to pick a fight with the staff at the fuel station for denying fuel.The police are also visiting schools and colleges in the city to re-enforce the message.
The cops registered 18,082 cases and collected around Rs 20 lakh in fine during in the first ten days of February according to reports. They also distributed android phones to more than 125 traffic police officials to take photos of unruly riders.
Earlier in 2016, Kerala had considered bringing in a similar rule however just two days before the rule would be implemented in three cities in the state, the Transport Commissioner opted to ease the stringent measure. There appears to be no escape for riders this time as police are looking to continue the drive until they achieve their target of getting 90% riders in Hubballi-Dharwad to wear helmets.