Officials plan ‘petrol ban’ on motorcyclists without helmets
Around 300,000 riders have been fined in two-month crackdown on traffic violators
The Punjab government’s two-month long drive against motorcyclists without helmets has gone to the next level, with the district administrators in Lahore and Rawalpindi set to issue orders to petrol pump owners and dealers prohibiting them from selling fuel to motorcyclists not wearing full-face helmets.
In Lahore, the City Traffic Police Officer wrote a letter to the Deputy Commissioner, who also enjoys the powers of District Magistrate, to issue an order to all petrol pumps and filling stations operating in the city and rural areas that motorcyclists without helmets must not be given petrol.
The Punjab government is already implementing its directions for motorcyclists to observe ‘helmet orders’ and it seems set to produce further results with such a ban imposed on petrol pumps.
During the last two months, since the Lahore High Court declared helmets a must for motorcyclists, the district administration has carried out a large-scale operation against such violating motorcyclists.
Around 300,000 motorcyclists have been fined since.
On the Mall Road alone, 38,000 motorcyclists were banned or fined for not wearing helmets.