New rule at RTA offices foxes public

Transport department makes helmet mandatory for any transaction at RTA offices. However, this rule went abegging at most offices on Friday.

Citizens visiting the Road Transport Authority offices in the city were caught off-guard on Friday. Security guards stopped people without helmets. Hundreds parked their vehicles outside the Joint Transport Commissioner’s office at Khairatabad leading to a traffic jam.

People were seen arguing with traffic policemen who were taking photographs of the vehicles parked outside the office on the main road. Ramesh, a software engineer, said, “The department should have informed the public. I took leave today but could not complete my work.”

A few who had helmets shared it with others who completed the transaction. Even as security guards kept shooing away people from entering the office, a few employees who take care of the parking lot rented helmets for Rs 20 to people.

Kishore Allam, a resident of Gandhinagar was fuming. He said, “The transport department should first publicise the new rule. No one is aware about it.”

However, the rule was not implemented in Medchal, Bahadurpura, Ibrahimpatnam, Malakpet and Attapur RTA offices. The security guards handed out pamphlets on the usefulness of wearing helmets.

A senior official of the department said that 24 per cent of the road accident deaths in the country happen due to lack of headgear. Section 129 of the MV Act mandates that every person riding a motor cycle is out to wear a helmet.

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