The Raipur City Traffic Police will be taking some concrete measures for ensuring strict compliance of compulsory wearing of helmet by two wheeler riders.
For enforcing wearing of helmet by two-wheeler riders in the city, traffic cops will be launching a massive campaign from Saturday (December 12).
“Under the fortnight long campaign, the Raipur City Traffic Police is going to undertake extensive checking at different squares and prominent streets of the city,” said Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) (Traffic) Balram Hirwani.
It was disheartening to note that large numbers of precious lives were lost due to non-wearing of protective headgear, he said.
Similarly, strict action will also be taken against people involved in reckless and drunken driving, over-speeding, over-loading and violators of traffic rules, said Hirwani said, adding that driving licenses of violators will be cancelled or suspended under relevant sections of Central Motor Vehicle Act 1988.
“As per available data, at least 382 lives were lost in 1863 road accidents recorded in 2015, of which 93 were bikers. Similarly, around 442 (98 were bikers) people were killed in 2014 and 394 (80 were bikers) were reported to have lost their lives in 2013,” informed Hirwani.
Notably on October 31 this year, the State Transport Minister Rajesh Munat has called for making helmet mandatory for two-wheeler riders in the State.
Chairing a meeting of State Road Safety Council, the Minister also directed officials to make use of helmet mandatory by people purchasing two wheelers.
Munat also directed the officials to spread awareness among the school and college goers regarding the road safety measures.
He had suggested the automobile dealers to join the awareness programmes by contributing funds from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) heads.
Munat also directed the Additional Transport Commissioner to ensure that the black films are not put on the glasses of four wheelers.
He ordered the officials to take action against the shopkeepers putting black films on glasses of four wheelers.
The Minister also directed to check overloading of passengers in public transport and rash driving.
Officials were told to encourage all Divisional Headquarters for setting up Driving schools.
The meeting also included discussions on ensuring proper visibility of traffic signals and removal of advertisement hoardings from spots interrupting the visibility of these signals.
Notably, on September 22 this year, Chief Minister Raman Singh had also called upon the youth to follow traffic rules for their own safety and that of others.
He had urged the riders of two-wheelers to wear helmets.
In order to make Raipur 'Smart City' the contribution of youth will be crucial, he had stated while addressing youths who had gathered to learn about the traffic rules at the Indoor Stadium in Raipur.
“life is precious. It’s sad and unfortunate of losing people including the youths in road accidents especially due to their not wearing helmet” the Chief Minister had stated in June last year adding that life of about 90 per cent two-wheeler riders, who die in the road accidents report every year, can be saved, if they wear helmet.
Singh had justified the government’s decision of making helmet compulsory as it showed the State Government’s determination to bring down the mortality rate.
In the same month, the State Government has made it mandatory for the employees of all its departments to wear helmet while riding two-wheelers.