PUNE: A group working on Road Safety, ‘Parisar’, which is a member of the District Road Safety Committee, has sent a notice to the Director General of Police (DGP) and the State Transport Commissioner, the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) of Pune and both Police Commissioners of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad for failing to ensure strict compliance of provisions of the law related to motor vehicles, specifically Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
According to Parisar, “The Bombay High Court passed an order on July 16, 2003 directing implementation of provisions of Section 129 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 by making use of protective headgear compulsory for every person driving or riding (otherwise than in a sidecar) on a motorcycle of any description. In spite of the said judgment, a large number of drivers of two-wheelers continue to flout the said provision. Another Public Interest Litigation was filed before the court seeking a direction that the responsible authorities ensure that the said rule be complied with.”
“The Bombay High Court once again took note of non-compliance of the previous order dated July 16, 2003 and on March 3, 2005, directed that the provisions of the Act be strictly implemented in the entire State from July 1, 2005,” said Sujit Patwardhan, Trustee, Parisar.
“The Supreme Court constituted a committee to monitor implementation of road safety laws in the country. The committee communicated to all chief secretaries that the law be made applicable to all States and Union Territories and that strong measures be taken for its violation. The Supreme Court directed that the recommendations made by the Committee be complied with,” he said.
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways too has issued several communications urging the principal secretaries and the transport commissioner of all states and Union territories to monitor the compulsory wearing of helmets and to take strict action for non-compliance.
However, a survey conducted by Parisar revealed that in Pune only 28 per cent of riders and 1.1 per cent of pillion riders wear helmets.
Ranjit Gadgil, Programme Director of Parisar said, “Pune has a very high number of two-wheelers, which is only increasing each year. The numbers of road fatalities over the years are shocking. Other than sporadic awareness programmes, no consistent effort has been taken by civic authorities to bring down these figures. We are left with no option but to take legal recourse. Many precious lives could have been saved had the helmet rule been enforced earlier. Though that loss can never be recovered, we hope to see corrective measures in the New Year.”
