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Pune activists give thumbs up for helmet drive
It was on January 1 that the Pune city traffic police department initiated actions against the offenders of the mandatory helmet rule
Citizen activists and road safety crusaders have appreciated the efficacy of the helmet drive launched by the Pune police one month ago.
It was on January 1 that the Pune city traffic police department initiated actions against the offenders of the mandatory helmet rule. This was done after creating sufficient awareness and giving notice to two-wheeler riders to use safety helmets.
Appreciating the firm manner in which the drive was launched, Sujit Patwardhan, veteran activist and founder of the NGO Parisar, said, “In the very first month, the traffic department has been very successful in sending a strong message among the citizens that the compulsory helmet rule is here to stay which has in a way compelled many citizens to start wearing helmets.”
The traffic department certainly needs to be commended as despite strong opposition from the city politicians, they have stood their ground in enforcing the compulsory helmet rule, he added.
Qaneez Sukhrani, Right to Information (RTI) activist and member of Nagrik Chetna Manch, accused the politicians and the anti-helmet brigade of being illogical in opposing the compulsory helmet rule. “The opposition faced by the traffic department is unfortunate. Also, the arguments made by the city politicians and the anti-helmet brigade are absolutely baseless and should be rejected by all the citizens,” she said.
Sukharani said that the traffic department has been successful in enforcing the compulsory helmet rule as a major change in the perception of citizens is visible throughout the city in the first month of the rule implementation itself. She urged the traffic department to continue with the good work without succumbing to the political pressure.
Ranjit Gadgil, programme director at city-based NGO Parisar, said that while it is indeed a good start by the traffic department in enforcing the compulsory helmet rule in the city, “we still have a long way to go in reducing the road mishap death rate which is the ultimate goal of everyone”.
Gadgil said the traffic police must continue the campaign as its success demonstrates that awareness can create a little change, but ultimately it the enforcement in such times that works.
The Pune police on their part said that they maintained consistency in filing cases against violators.
“We are filing cases no less than 7,000 every single day since mid-December 2018. The maximum number of cases one day was 9,500. But we have desisted from sharing statistics with the media as parts of the action were shown in bad light,” said Tejaswi Satpute, deputy commissioner of police, traffic, Pune.
Meanwhile, around Tuesday midnight, members of the ‘Anti-Helmet Compulsion Action Committee’ put up 150 banner across road junctions and prominent areas of the city, according to Rajendra Kondhre, a member of the committee. The banners urged people who did not agree with the helmet compulsion to give a missed call to a mobile number mentioned on the banner.
DCP Satpute declined to comment on this and said, “We are following the law and will continue to do so. We have received support from various groups in society.” According to her, a general survey conducted by police inspectors of every traffic division in the city indicated that there was at least 50 per cent rise in the use of helmets. “If anyone wants to conduct a scientific, more detailed study, we welcome it,” she said when asked about the effectiveness of the method of the research conducted.
Supporting DCP Satpute’s claim, Ashwin Agarwal, proprietor of Pro-Bike Helmets and Accessories shop on MG Road, Camp, said that in December helmet sales went up by around 10-15 per cent and by around 20-25 per cent in January. “In the past week, however, it has gone down to how it was in the beginning of December,” he said.
Another dealer, located near Pune railway station, who chose to remain anonymous fearing backlash from fellow businesspeople, said cheap helmets with flimsy visors were being sold for Rs 350 and Rs 500 in shops and roadsides. He said these were more dangerous than safe.
Anti helmet compulsion supporters to protest one month of police action
The Anti-Helmet Compulsion Action Committee has planned a protest on Friday near Bal Gangadhar Tilak statue located behind the Mahatma Phule Market.
The members will perform “ganda naad” (sound ritual bells) during their protest while chanting anti-helmet compulsion slogans, according to a statement issued by the organisation.
The committee includes representatives of Patit Pavan Sanghatana, Akhil Mandai Mandal, Sambhaji Brigade, Babasaheb Ambedkar Sangharsh Samiti, Hindu Pratishthan, Jhashichi Rani Pratishthan among a few others. Pradeep Deshmukh of Nationalist Congress Party is also a part of the committee.
The committee had held protests before the new year commenced. However, the police action began in the concluding days of December and is still going strong, according to Tejaswi Satpute, deputy commissioner of police, traffic, Pune.
