Chennai: From 8 am onwards, the City Traffic Police went on an awareness campaign and levied fines on nearly 1,000 motorists for not wearing helmet.
Recently, the Madras High Court insisted that authorities take stringent action against violators by imposing a heavy penalty and impounding the vehicles.
The High Court sought a reason as to why pillion riders were not wearing helmets. There was an observation by the court that the traffic policemen were turning a blind eye to helmetless riders. The traffic police were criticised for being glued to their mobile phones.
“We have not seen a single pillion rider wearing helmet” a division bench of Justice S Manikumar and Justice Subramonium Prasad observed.
Additional advocate general Aravind Pandian said as per the Motor Vehicles Act, only Rs 100 can be levied as penalty for violation of helmet rule.
Across the city this morning, 20 check-points were marked, including Thiruvanmiyur, Guindy, Velacheri, Royapettah, Royapuram, Sowcarpet and Mylapore.
The traffic policemen stopped helmetless riders and pillion riders and began with a five-minute awareness session where the adverse impacts of not wearing a helmet were told to them. Later, they were issued a challan for Rs 100. Motorist who did not have the money were allowed to visit an ATM or pay the amount online.