Road safety: Pumps violate ‘no helmet-no petrol’ rule

RDA had made helmets compulsory for the motorbike riders seeking petrol

RAWALPINDI: Despite the fact that the district administration has imposed a ban on providing petrol to motorbike riders who are not wearing helmets, fuel pumps across the city have been found to be lax in enforcing the rule strictly, subverting the impact of the ban.

The Rawalpindi district administration had made helmets compulsory for the motorbike riders seeking petrol. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rawalpindi Dr Umar Jahangir had issued a notification in this regard.

But fuel pumps, in sheer violation of the ban, have been providing fuel to even those riders who are not wearing helmets.

On the other hand, Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Muhammad Bin Ashraf has said that strict action was being taken against motorbike riders who are not wearing helmets.

He said following the directions of Lahore High Court (LHC), the CTP had launched a special campaign in the city against motorbike riders who are travelling on roads sans helmets.

He said special squads have also been constituted and deployed on Mall Road and Peshawar Road, tasking them to issue fine tickets to motorcyclists who are not wearing helmets. He advised the parents to prohibit their children from driving motorcycles without helmets.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2018.