Cops go after helmetless bikers in ‘problem’ areas

Kolkata: Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari called for a crackdown on helmetless bikers on Monday, and on the same evening Lalbazar asked all 26 traffic guards — in association with local police — to carry out round-the-clock crackdowns. Lalbazar claimed that there was over 95% compliance on major roads as far as wearing helmets was concerned and overall, it was estimated to be around 90%.After more than 60 hours of vigil, the numbers show why Adhikari called for a constant vigil. According to data shared by joint CP (Traffic) Rupesh Kumar, a total of 3,302 bikers have been hauled up by cops. While Metiabruz Traffic Guard reported 301 of these violations, the Headquarter guard — comprising the Central Business District area — reported as many as 372 cases, the highest among all guards. Cops said that these numbers are highest reported in the recent past. Among other guards returning high numbers are the Jorabagan Guard (286 cases) and East Guard (271)."Sergeants have been asked to even go into the bylanes and begin taking action. We have asked them to record every action through their body cameras. This will help us when challenged. In addition, we have also begun analysing spots which need improvement. For example, while Gobinda Khatik Road saw a larger compliance, areas around CIT Paddapukur and Rippon Street remain areas of concern," said an officer.Cops on Wednesday launched another campaign to ensure children wear helmets while travelling on two-wheelers after senior cops on rounds last Tuesday found the adults wearing helmets but not their children. Meanwhile, since Monday a total of 146 riders/pillion riders were prosecuted for not arranging helmets for their children."More than the riders, it is the number of pillion riders — and even the children — who are not wearing helmets. The situation in the smaller roads and lanes need to improve further. However, the overall helmet compliance has remained steady with almost all major roads (barring a few patches) witnessing above 98% compliance," stated an officer from the traffic brass. In a meeting with police officers at Nabanna earlier, Adhikari instructed action against motorcyclists without helmets. Sources say that areas with a higher tendency of riding without helmets have been identified for checks. Additionally, it must be ensured that checkpoints are created at night, with assistance from local police stations if needed, Lalbazar stated. The directive from Lalbazar on Monday stated that the Deputy Commissioner of Traffic and Assistant Commissioner of Police will oversee these special drives. All relevant information must be sent to Lalbazar in a timely manner. Alongside enforcing the law, there is also an emphasis on raising awareness about wearing helmets. Some officers have noted that until recently, there was a high presence of helmetless bikers in parts of North-East, South Kolkata, and the southern suburbs. However, the police claim that this trend has decreased somewhat following the election results.