Around 1.41 lakh bikers in Mumbai were booked and fined for riding without helmet between January and April this year. In a State-wide crackdown, 3.39 lakh two-wheeler riders were fined during the same period, generating a revenue of ₹8.32 crore.
Transport Minister Diwakar Raote said in addition to collecting fines, authorities should spread awareness of the importance of wearing helmets.
Mr. Raote held a meeting on Monday with officials from the State transport department, traffic police, highway police, and the public works department to discuss road safety.
Among the topics discussed in the meeting included the trend of reckless driving of two-wheelers, which has steadily increased among the youth, illegal road races at night, and modification of silencers.
Mr. Raote instructed the transport department and the traffic police to devise a system to increase fines and even confiscate the two-wheelers who engage in such practices. The authorities also discussed fixing a maximum age limit for drivers due to reduction in vision and onset of other health problems due to increasing age.
Some of the major reasons leading to road accidents were also discussed. Mr. Raote instructed the officials to take strict action against overloaded tractors and trucks and cancel permits of drivers carrying illegal cargo and contraband.
Mr. Raote said contractors and toll operators should be held accountable for accidents due to potholes, while asking the transport department to study the feasibility of a tyre inspection system so that vehicles with faulty tyres can be checked. He also asked the officials to explore the possibility of offering an eight-day refresher course that all licensed drivers need to take every five years. In 2018, there were 35,926 road accidents in Maharashtra accounting for 13,059 fatalities.