In accordance with the instructions of the Uttar Pradesh government, a ‘No Helmet, No Fuel’ special road safety campaign will be conducted in the entire state from September 1 to 30.
This campaign will be run under the leadership of the District Magistrate and in coordination with the District Road Safety Committee (DRSC), so that all the departments concerned at the district level together take forward this specific effort of civic safety.
During this period, the police, revenue, district administration, and transport department officials will hold the responsibility for the enforcement. The Yogi government has appealed to the general public to fully cooperate with these enforcement agencies.
This initiative is completely legal and in the public interest. Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, makes helmets compulsory for two-wheeler drivers and pillion riders, while Section 194D provides for a penalty for violation.
The Supreme Court’s Road Safety Committee has also advised the states to give priority to helmet compliance.
The Yogi government said that the purpose of ‘No Helmet, No Fuel’ is not to punish but to motivate citizens to adopt safe behavior in accordance with the law—fuel only when the helmet is on the head.
UP Transport Commissioner Brajesh Narain Singh said that the campaign is completely in the public interest. Previous experiences show that two-wheeler owners soon develop the habit of coming with a helmet. This also does not adversely affect fuel sales. Oil marketing companies—IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL—and all petrol pump operators are requested to actively cooperate in this effort. Necessary coordination/monitoring will be ensured at the petrol pump level through the Food and Logistics Department. The Information and Public Relations system will help in spreading public awareness. Citizens, industry, and administration together can take concrete steps towards the national goal of reducing deaths and serious injuries in road accidents.
He said ‘No helmet, no fuel’ is not a punishment, but a pledge of safety. ”This campaign will run from 1 to 30 September under the leadership of the District Magistrate, coordination of DRSC, and enforcement by police-administration-transport officials. All citizens, petrol pump operators, and oil companies are asked to give full cooperation in this. Make ‘Helmet first, fuel later’ a rule, because wearing a helmet is the simplest insurance of life.”