TEAM HERALD
PANAJI: Even as the state government implemented the compulsory helmet rule for two-wheeler riders on all roads from April 1, the Traffic Police were not seen enforcing the rule on every road on Wednesday. They continued business as usual, with RTO and Traffic Police visible mostly on highways and at their usual spots.
While some riders wore helmets, many were seen moving around in the city and suburbs right under the noses of the traffic cops directing traffic, without helmets.
The compulsory helmet rule has been enforced due to the central government’s directions to reduce road accidents in states by 50 per cent for the decade 2010-2020. Though the rule has always been in existence in the Motor Vehicle Act, it was not enforced by the Goa government due to a public backlash. This time too, the government already bridled with a number of agitations, may not want to anger people and thus may decide to gauge the reactions of citizens before enforcing the rule.
This time, the helmet rule will not only be implemented for two-wheeler riders on national highways, but also on all internal roads. The intended crackdown on violators of the helmet rule is aimed at controlling deaths of two-wheeler riders which have reached serious proportions in the state.
