Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha made it clear that the rule that every two-wheeler rider must wear a helmet is being strictly implemented in the state to save lives. She expressed her concern that many families are being killed on the road due to road accidents.
The minister, replying to questions given by TDP members in the Assembly, deplored that mothers are losing their children due to road accidents, and in this context, a fine of Rs. 1,000 is being collected from those who do not wear helmets.
She asserted that wearing a helmet is mandatory and lamented that thousands of people die every year due to not wearing a helmet, and three times as many people are injured. She said that the rule of wearing a helmet is being implemented in some areas on an experimental basis.
She said that a fine of Rs. 1,000 is being collected as per the law made by the Center in 2020 and the Supreme Court order. She said on this occasion that a fine of Rs. 1,000 is being collected on an experimental basis only in some areas, not across the state. The Home Minister said that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu ordered to implement the fine increase only after creating awareness.
The Minister said that it is not right to impose heavy fines on those who do not wear helmets, that steps should be taken to ensure that the police treat those who do not wear helmets with respect, and that people are angry at the collection of a fine of Rs. 1,000.
Anitha, who wanted to know that a fine of Rs. 1,000 is not more than life, questioned what is the problem with those who bought a cart for Rs. 1 lakh and bought a helmet for Rs. 300. She suggested that everyone should wear helmets. The Home Minister said that she will instruct the police not to be rude to motorists.
