KOCHI: A year since the state enforced the rule making helmet mandatory for pillion riders on two-wheelers, the government has collected over Rs 2 crore as fine from violators. As per the official data with the Transport Commissionerate, the government has so far collected Rs 2,19,48,797 crore from helmetless pillion riders between December 2019 and January 2021.
Though the Union Government introduced Section 129 in the Central Motor Vehicles Act making helmet mandatory for all pillion riders above four years of age, the state government failed to enforce the rule. Later, the Kerala High Court in November 2019 directed the state government to make it mandatory for the pillion riders to wear helmets.
“For the initial few days in December 2019, helmetless pillion riders were warned and sensitised about the new rule. Later, we started enforcing the rule. Now, a fine of Rs 500 is being imposed on helmetless pillion riders,” said a senior motor vehicle inspector.
However, the Two-wheeler Users Association in the state is not happy with the state government “targeting two-wheeler riders”.
“We are not against the government enforcing rules. But the rules should be strictly enforced on all motorists and not two-wheeler riders alone. Two-wheelers are used by ordinary people for their daily commute. The Motor Vehicles Department launched a drive to crack down on cars using sun-control films and curtains. But they called it off due to political pressure. This shows their bias,” said Two-wheeler Users Association chairman James Muttikkal.