2 deaths a day, over ₹1 crore fines a month: Prayagraj ignores helmet rule

From January to August, 12,899 commuters have already been fined, which means an average of 1,612 challans per month, contributing over ₹1.29 crore in revenue in just eight months.

Despite a consistent rise in road fatalities across the state—many involving two-wheeler riders—the government’s efforts to enforce helmet use have met with stubborn resistance. A recent initiative, the month-long ‘No Helmet–No Fuel’ campaign, underscores the seriousness of the issue, yet many commuters continue to flout the rule, risking both their lives and their wallets.

Helmet-less two-wheeler riders on Prayagraj roads on Wednesday. (Anil Kumar Maurya/HT)

In Prayagraj district, official data from 2024 reveals that the non-use of helmets attracted the highest number of challans among all traffic violations—making it the top revenue earner under the Motor Vehicles Act for the year.

The fine for not wearing a helmet is ₹1,000. Between January 1 and December 31, 2024, authorities issued 79,317 challans for helmet violations, resulting in a staggering ₹7.93 crore in penalties paid by two-wheeler riders. This equates to an average of 6,609 challans per month, generating approximately ₹66.09 lakh in monthly revenue.

Even in 2025, the trend continues. From January to August, 12,899 commuters have already been fined, which means an average of 1,612 challans per month, contributing over ₹1.29 crore in revenue in just eight months.

According to traffic inspector Amit Kumar, the widespread disregard for helmet laws is a major contributor to the growing number of road casualties. “The large-scale violation of this basic safety rule is weighing heavily on commuter safety,” he said.

Interestingly, helmet seller Ratan Singh pointed out that the average cost of a branded helmet ranges between ₹1,600 and ₹3,000, yet commuters often end up paying far more annually as fines—essentially covering the cost of a good-quality helmet but still choosing to ride without one.

Grim statistics tell the story

Data from the past 54 months (January 2021 to July 2025) shows the severity of the issue. A total of 5,844 road accidents were reported in Prayagraj, resulting in 2,679 deaths and 3,663 serious injuries. This translates to an average of 49 deaths per month, or nearly two fatalities per day.

Year-wise fatalities on Prayagraj roads

2021: 1,165 accidents | 542 deaths

2022: 1,370 accidents | 603 deaths

2023: 1,297 accidents | 582 deaths

2024: 1,246 accidents | 547 deaths

2025 (Jan–July): 766 accidents | 405 deaths

Despite consistent awareness drives, stricter enforcement, and high penalties, the non-use of helmets continues to claim lives — and the trend shows no signs of slowing down.