Hyderabad: The Hyderabad traffic police has made two counselling sessions compulsory for violators of the helmet rule in the city.
Traffic police has taken this initiative after the increase of ‘no-helmet’ violation cases due to a negligible penalty which matters little to those who pay it.
As many as 2,68,995 violators have been booked this year till April for riding two-wheelers without helmets and Rs 2.69 crore was collected as penalties. Helmet rule violators pay a fine of Rs 100 and a second-time violator Rs 200.
According to the Hyderabad traffic police, as the fine is low, two-wheeler riders prefer to pay challans than wear helmets. The cops say making counseling mandatory will force them to follow the traffic rules. Earlier counseling was only mandatory in cases of drunken driving.
Which is why now the reason why the traffic police has now decided to curb helmet violations by imposing a mandatory two-counselling sessions as per Supreme Court guidelines.
Hyderabad Traffic DCP A.V. Ranganath said, “As helmet violations are increasing, we are making those caught without helmets from last week to attend two counselling sessions.” Those who have been caught a second time and have got second challan would have to undergo the two sessions, says DCP A.V. Ranganath.
Who will be counselled?
Spot challan: 2nd time
E challan: 5th time vehicle owner with 3 pending challans
Violators will be counselled at Traffic Training Institutes, Begumpet and Goshamahal. Around 150 to 180 violators have been counselled in the past one week in both the traffic training institutes in Hyderabad.
