BHOPAL: In the new tax slab, proposed by union government for traffic rule violations a helmet less rider will have to pay Rs 1000 and the offender may also lose ones driving license.
But is this deterrent enough to prevent commuters from breaking traffic rules? This question has evoked mix responses from the experts and officials.
According to an expert the new tax slab for the violation of rules on roads, is unlikely to instill traffic sense among the riders. Rather, it may lead to chaotic scenes on the road and instances of bribery to hush up the matter, he said.
The records prove that this step will not help the law agencies manage traffic better, but there are chances of rise in spats among offenders and on-duty cops for the issue.
According to an official on an average, over 100 challans are issued by Bhopal police against the helmet less riders. Similar figure is of online challan sent by Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Limited (BSCDCL).
He added, but, the challans have failed to prove any deterrent for the offenders, as a new trend is being observed these days that riders carry their helmet with them but do not wear it until they see any police team around or ahead.
Another official added that, “Three years ago the union government had ordered fine of Rs 500 on the helmet less riders, but the rates were slashed by the state government and Rs 250 was charged from the offenders.” This has also failed to create any change on the ground, he added.
A retired cop Saleem Khan says that the rise in fine will work as a deterrent to the riders, as paying a sum as high as Rs 1000, is in no way better than wearing a helmet and no person will wish to loose this amount for a fault.
Sanjeev Gupta, a corporator in the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) says that the new slab is fine as long as the issue of imposing heavy sum on parents for letting their minor children drive four-wheelers, or even for faults like signal jumping among others, but if you have to stop people from setting out of their homes sans a helmet, an awareness campaign and other efforts are needed as riders keep helmets with them, but they wear only seeing police teams.
