ELVINO ARAUJO
People in Vasco have strongly objected to the government’s decision to make wearing of helmets compulsory, for all two-wheeler riders, on all roads, from April 1.
The compulsory wearing of helmets especially on city roads has drawn flak from all two-wheeler riders who have shown strong resentment to the government’s stance. They alleged that the government is trying to patronise the helmet industry.
Speaking to Herald, scooterist Santan D’Costa said, they are a family of three and it will be difficult to carry three helmets when they park their scooter and go shopping. “We have a child of 12 years and whenever we go out, all three of us will have to wear helmets,” D’Costa said.
“The scooter does not have any provision to keep one helmet when I park the scooter and go to my work place and just imagine the problem that I will face while riding the scooter with a child wearing a helmet and then carrying the helmet around when shopping.” D’Costa added.
Another two-wheeler rider Rodney Fernandes said that before making wearing of helmets compulsory, the government should have first put the road infrastructure in order. “There is no extension in the width of the roads, while there is 200 per cent rise in two and four-wheelers which are using the same road. The government through RTO, while providing licenses to two and three-wheelers should see to it that the person at the time of trials/test is fully conversant with road safety,” said Fernandes.
“The government should also see to it that all the roads that are dug either by PWD, electricity department and other agencies are restored back immediately. The traffic police should issue heavy challans to all those who violate the traffic rules by rash and negligent driving, overtaking from the wrong side and turning, without showing the signal,” Fernandes suggested.
“If all this is followed properly, then the accidents on the roads will minimise. If government does not ensure this then if one meets with an accident even wearing the safest helmets one can die,” he said.
Satish Narvekar said the problem with the government agencies such as PWD and the electricity department is that there is no communication between them when they carry out the work.
“If PWD (water division) digs the road to lay water pipeline, the electricity department will wait till the PWD (water) finish the work and restores the road. Then the PWD sewerage and electricity department will start digging the same road and leave it for days together without asphalting, sometimes without putting sign boards, thus endangering the lives of two-wheeler riders and other pedestrians,” Narvekar said.
“The PWD (roads) should use the money which we pay as motor vehicle tax to maintain the roads and after putting all the infrastructure in place, then only the government should implement compulsory wearing of helmets on all roads,” added Narvekar.
Citizen Mahesh Acharya said it’s just a farce and objections are mounting against making wearing of helmets compulsory and without putting the infrastructure in order. He cautioned that the government after a few days, like it usually does, will withdraw the notification but the stakeholders in the helmet industry will fill their coffers by selling the helmets.
“It will also give a chance for all those who are selling helmets on the roadsides without ISI mark to make a fast buck as those who cannot afford the genuine ISI mark helmets since they are costly will buy the substandard helmets,” Acharya declared.
Sainath Naik said though making of wearing of helmets on city roads and all other roads compulsory is a welcome step, the government should also ensure that the RTO and traffic police act tough on traffic rule violators.
“Many times I have seen young boys on two wheelers and four wheelers driving without paying any heed to traffic lights at the airport road. They just jump the traffic signals and zoom off and the traffic police instead of noting the registration number just look the other side encouraging others to follow suit,” Naik disclosed.
“Even in the town area though the speed limit is 30 km per hour, two-wheeler riders and four and even six-wheeler drivers drive more than 40km per hour and the traffic police stand there as mute spectators without enforcing speed limits,” Naik added.
“Unless and until the government starts implementing traffic rules like the Gulf countries whether one wears a helmet or not, accidents will take place and many people will lose their lives due to the fault of some other person and even sometimes due to their own fault,” Naik said.
“When we lose our dear ones in accidents due to careless attitude of others, we have to bear the loss and not the person, because of whom we have lost our dear ones, nor even of the government and the agencies concerned,” Naik observed.
