Addressing a news conference at Calangute on Wednesday, Lobo said “The strict implementation of helmet rule is justified on national highways or longer routes, but it should be relaxed on village roads, as it causes inconvenience to people travelling shorter distances for schools, markets, churches and temples.”
“One cannot carry a helmet to the market or church and temple nor can it be left on the motorcycle. The State government needs to understand the difficulty and hardships being faced by the people of Goa and relax the rule in the villages. The helmet rule in the villages should be withdrawn in the interest of the people of Goa,” stated Lobo.
The traffic police issued challans to hundreds of people travelling on two-wheelers on their way to churches, temples, schools and shopping along the coastal villages of Calangute and Parra on Dr Ambedkar Jayanti. There were three bullets with the traffic police lined up near the Parra washing centre, besides an RTO jeep at St Alex Convent, Calangute.
John D’Souza said, “We have no problem wearing helmets on the national highways though it causes inconvenience while riding, but it makes no sense forcing us to wear helmets on village roads. Carrying or wearing a helmet for shopping or close-by visits makes no sense. The implementers of the rule should first ride the two-wheelers with helmets and then decide to make it mandatory for us.”
