No fining only advice for violators
Two-wheeler riders on Goods Shed Road in Coimbatore after the rule for compulsory helmet wearing came into force on Friday.Even as powered two-wheeler riders made a beeline to shops selling helmets as the rule to wear them came into force on Friday, the police said on Saturday that they would temporarily stop fining violators and instead advise them to wear the protective headgear.On Friday the police booked 350 cases for non-compliance of the helmet rule and 250 for not wearing seat belts in cars. But on Saturday the police stopped levying fine and asked the enforcement officers to slow down.On Friday and Saturday the city saw more than 95 per cent two-wheeler riders wearing it.There were stray cases of the two-wheeler riders, especially pillion riders, mostly women, not wearing helmets. The enforcement officers focussed on seat belts in cars as well. The helmet shops continued to do brisk business even on Saturday.Deputy Transport Commissioner T. Gunasekaran said as many as 15 notices were served on the violators on Friday. City Police Commissioner C.K. Gandhirajan said the police had registered more than 350 cases for not wearing helmets and more than 250 for not wearing seat belts in cars on Friday. The temporary suspension of enforcement is to give adequate time for the two-wheeler riders to buy helmets. The police were told to counsel people on the need to wear the helmets, sources said. This was to stabilise the price of helmets that were now being sold at exorbitant rates because of the huge demand.
Coimbatore Consumer Cause Secretary K. Kathirmathiyon urged the labour department and the transport officials to tighten the enforcement against sale of uncertified poor quality helmets at throwaway prices on roadsides. These helmets only satisfied the rule rather than serving the purpose. He also urged the authorities to ensure that the dealers displayed the maximum retail price list of the helmets to end fleecing.He also flayed the people for the last-minuterushto buy the headgear which led to thehike in prices.
Refuting the charge P. Selvakumar, a leading automobile spare part dealer, said goods wagons and trucks were booked for the next 20 days to ferry the helmets from manufacturers.Dealers in non-Corporation areas were also booking goods wagons and trucks for sourcing helmets since the rule would come into effect in those areas from July 1. As a result, the dealers owing to the increasing demand were forced to airlift the consignment spending Rs 100 to Rs 160 per helmet additionally. Mr. Selvakumar said the prices would stabilise shortly.
Mr. Kathirmathiyon also urged the State Government to ask the helmet manufacturers to ensure availability of helmets for children above four years, since the rule insisted on children wearing the headgear. ISI certified helmets for children were not available in the market. Till it was made available, the police should relax the rule for children, he said Mr. Selvakumar said the helmets for children sold in Bangalore were not ISI certified hence the dealers were reluctant to sell them here.Mr. Gunasekaran said that would be brought to the attention of the State Government, which in turn could take it up with the helmet manufacturers.
