‘No helmet, no fuel’: Two days to deadline, few signs of impending move at Lko fuel stations
A majority of fuel pumps across the city have no banners or posters warning the public about the new rule.
In two days’ time, the ‘No helmet, no fuel’ initiative will get implemented. However, most fuel stations in Lucknow have done little to inform prospective customers about the impending move.

The Uttar Pradesh Transport Department had proposed a strict ‘No helmet, no fuel’ policy across the state to reduce road accidents involving two-wheelers. However, a majority of fuel pumps across the city have no banners or posters warning the public about the new rule.
When asked about the move, members of the public gave a mixed response. “We will see when it will come into force,” said a commuter on his bike without a helmet at a petrol station in Vibhuti Khand.
“These rules are implemented only for a few days as they can’t refuse fuel, and it will be their loss. If one station refuses to give, we will go to another,” said another commuter without a helmet, refusing to share his name.
“This is a good initiative and should be strictly implemented,” said Ravi Singh.
At one fuel station at Kathutha crossing, two standees read ‘No helmet, no fuel’. However, the fuel station was seen giving fuel to everybody, helmet or no helmet. “We are currently informing people that from January 26, we will stop giving fuel without helmets,” said Vijay Kumar Pandey, manager of the fuel station.
“That’s why we have put up big boards so that people know it’s an order from the administration and it has to be followed,” said Pandey, adding that if someone has a genuine problem then the station will give them fuel.
The ‘Noida model’
In a letter to all district magistrates in the state, dated January 8, 2025, Brajesh Narayan Singh, transport commissioner, UP, asked them to strictly implement the ‘No helmet, no fuel’ strategy giving the example of the Noida model.
“The ‘No helmet, no fuel’ strategic action is an innovative and effective measure that has already been successfully implemented in other areas, a good example of which was seen in Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) in 2019 when this strategy was implemented by the then DM,” the letter of the commissioner read.
“This strategy was implemented from June 1, 2019, under which petrol pumps were prohibited from giving fuel to two-wheeler riders without helmets. As a result, helmet usage compliance increased significantly in the region and road accidents also decreased,” the letter further read.