UP’s month-long ‘No Helmet, No Fuel’ drive begins today

Starting Monday, Uttar Pradesh will enforce a "No Helmet, No Petrol" campaign, denying fuel to two-wheeler riders without helmets until September 30.

Starting Monday, two-wheeler riders in Uttar Pradesh may be denied petrol if they are not wearing a helmet, with the state government launching its new “No Helmet, No Petrol” campaign.

(File)

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has urged the public to cooperate, and said the campaign was not a punitive measure but a step toward encouraging safe and responsible riding habits.“Under the campaign, fuel will be dispensed only to riders wearing helmets,” said a press statement issued by the state government on Sunday.

Lucknow commissioner of police Amrendra Sengar confirmed that all arrangements were in place to implement the road safety campaign effectively. “We are ready to roll out the drive to ensure the safety of two-wheeler riders. Fuel pump operators and related departments have been asked to coordinate with police, who will also be monitoring the campaign,” he said.

A senior official in the Lucknow district administration also said all necessary preparations for the campaign had been completed.

So, what happens if a two-wheeler rider shows up at a fuel station without a helmet? The staff have been directed to refuse service and ask the rider to return with a helmet.“Pump attendants are now authorised to deny fuel to riders not wearing helmets,” said the officials.

Focus will also be on riders who borrow helmets from others just to get their tanks filled. For this, police vehicles will visit petrol pumps frequently.

This campaign will run across the state under the leadership of district magistrates in coordination with the district road safety committees (DRSC). The campaign will continue tilk September 30, with officers from the transport, police, revenue, and district administration departments sharing the main responsibility.

Officials, elsewhere too, said the campaign would be a success. Prayagraj ADCP (Traffic) Kuldeep Singh said instructions had been issued to all petrol pump owners to strictly follow the rules and not offer fuel to bikers without a helmet. “The month-long campaign will help promote the use of helmets, and instructions have been issued accordingly,” he added.

Kanpur district magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh said the “no fuel without helmet” rule was already in force in the district, and would be strictly implemented. The district supply office there had been asked to monitor and implement it with the help of fuel companies and petrol pumps.

Meerut district magistrate Vijay Kumar Singh, said, “We are launching the ‘No Helmet, No Petrol’ drive on Monday. In a meeting held with petrol pump owners, we ensured their full cooperation and preparedness to implement this initiative effectively. All petrol pumps have been instructed to deny fuel to two-wheeler riders without helmets, with enforcement teams monitoring compliance. I urge every citizen to join us in making Meerut’s roads safer.”

Assistant regional transport officer in Gorakhpur RB Sonkar said several departments, including supply, transport, traffic police and revenue, would execute the campaign in the district.ADM (finance and revenue) Vineet Kumar Singh said the rule was implemented at all 165 petrol pumps in the district in January.

State transport commissioner Brijesh Narayan Singh stated that the campaign was wholly in the public interest and would help two-wheeler riders quickly adopt the habit of wearing helmets. He urged cooperation from oil marketing companies and petrol pump operators, adding that the food and civil supplies department would ensure coordination and monitoring at fuel stations.

The month-long campaign will run statewide from September 1 to 30, under the leadership of district magistrates, in coordination with the DRSC, and enforced jointly by police, administration, and transport officers, he added.