Now, no entry for helmetless riders at RTO offices

Nagpur: Beware, two-wheeler riders! The next time you visit the city, east and rural Regional Transport Offices (RTO), make sure to wear a helmet, as the RTO has made it mandatory for all two-wheeler riders and pillion riders to follow the rule, else face action.
RTO (Nagpur city and rural) Rajabhau Gite on Wednesday announced that from Thursday no visitors riding two-wheelers without helmets will be allowed inside all the three transport department offices.
Gite also chaired a meeting and directed deputy RTO Ravindra Bhuyar, ARTOs Ashfaq Ahmed, Sneha Medhe, Harshal Dake, motor vehicle inspectors and assistant MVIs to enforce the rule. In April, transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar had announced in Nagpur that helmet will be mandatory for two-wheeler riders visiting all government offices across the state.
This is not the first time that the transport department had issued the diktat. In the past, the state transport commissioner had issued a similar notification but the officers here hardly made any efforts to enforce the mandatory Motor Vehicle Act provision. Ironically, the department employees can be seen entering the RTO without helmet. Even the drivers of four-wheelers with the transport department are seen without seatbelt.
This time caution boards clearly mentioning the helmet rule have been put up at entry gates of all the three RTO offices — Nagpur city off Amravati road, east office at Chikhli, Kalamna, and rural office near Lal Godam on Kamptee Road.
“According to Section 129 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, it is mandatory for the person riding the motorcycle and the person riding behind to wear a helmet while using a motorcycle in public places,” said Gite.
Under Section 194D of the Motor Vehicle Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019, it is a punishable offence to ride a motorcycle in a public place without helmet. “All employees/officers under your authority should be informed about this. At the same time, this matter should be brought to the attention of people who visit our office in the form of a notice by placing it in the facade at the main entrance,” Gite told all employees of the three transport department offices.
“It should be noted that if found violating, action will be taken against the person concerned as per Section 129 / 194 D of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988,” Gite warned.
ARTO Harshal Dake stated that the stringent move is aimed at curbing deaths from head injuries in road accidents.