Vizag Traffic Police Implementing The Helmet Rule On Policemen

Visakhapatnam is gearing up to enforce the helmet rule in a strong manner. The focus this time around is not on the public, but the police officers themselves. Taking Vizagites’ criticism to heart, the traffic police have started busting down cops for not wearing helmets too.

A lot of cops are misguided that they needn’t wear helmets and the rule doesn’t apply to them. There have been reports of the policemen regularly violating rules and speeding, jumping traffic signals and more. While nearly 63,000 Vizagites have been fined this year for not wearing helmets and Rs 63 lakh has been recovered in fines, none of them consist of the police. In 2015, 1.3 lakh Vizagites were fined Rs 1.25 crore.

While not slacking on booking the general public, the focus has still turned hard and fast on the policemen too. The past 15 days and more have been an exercise in the same in Visakhapatnam. It will make it easier on the cops to crack down on the public when they’re leading by example.

The traffic police have been trying to implement this rule since last year. The rule was withdrawn in 6 months after implementation in November because of commuters complaining that helmet outlets were taking advantage and overcharging customers due to shortage of helmets. In July 2016, the traffic police implemented a ‘No Helmet No Petrol’ rule. The helmet rule will be intensified from the beginning of New Year for Vizagites and plans are being made for making helmets compulsory for pillion riders too.