2,023 pillion riders booked for defying helmet rule on day one

CHENNAI: On day one when the city traffic police reinforced the helmet compliance rule to pillion riders, as many as 2,023 were booked and fined for disobeying the rule on Monday till 6 pm. Also, 1,903 riders too were booked for not wearing a helmet.

The majority of the cases were booked in the east zone with 844 incidents, followed by south with 694 and 483 in the north zone.

Periamet traffic inspector C Chandramouli speaking to DTNext that almost 70 per cent of the pillion riders were surprisingly helmet compliant and only the remaining 30 per cent were booked. He said that there were no major confrontations, except a minor hiccups, as most of the motorists accepted the e-challans.

"The message had reached the motorists through the media. Both motorists and pillion riders without helmet were fined Rs 100.

Meanwhile, Washermenpet traffic police distributed sweets to motorists and pillion riders wearing helmets," said the inspector.

However, the public who were dependent on bike taxis had a tough time booking a trip as bikes were not available due to the helmet-compliance rule.

"Many riders cancelled the trip as they expected us to carry a helmet with us," said Kumaraguru, a private firm employee from Periyar Nagar, who often takes bike taxi to work.