Social activist Adv Aires Rodrigues in an interview with NILESH KHANDEPARKAR wants e government to examine the entire gamut of issue relating to fatal road accidents even as he feels helmets alone will not solve the problem.
GT: The government plans to make headgear (helmets) compulsory on all Goan roads. Please comment.
Adv Aires (AA): I am not against helmets per se. But the government needs to take care of other things as well. Helmets alone will not solve the problem. In 2001, former Transport Minister Pandurang Raut constituted a Committee, which, after hearing all the sides agreed to two exceptions: One, for persons driving two wheelers not exceeding a speed of 40 kms and two, persons driving motorcycles in Municipal areas.
Coming to the Motor Vehicles Act, although it is central Act, the state government can make exemptions. In 2005, the issue surfaced again when former Transport Minister Pandurang Madkaikar tried to withdraw these exemptions. The issue was debated in the Assembly and a House Committee was appointed. Although the Motor Vehicles Act makes it mandatory for both the driver and the pillion to wear helmets, Madkaikar exempted the pillion and enforced the rule only on highways. It is a matter of shame that government accepts on its website that bad roads is one of the causes for rising fatalities on Goan roads. The road must be made safe, the focus should be to minimise accidents so that two wheelers, pedestrians and cyclists are also saved.
GT: How do you feel the government needs to handle this problem?
AA: Get to the root of the problem or else people will continue to die. For instance, traffic signals on arterial city roads are not working. The NRRI study had identifed 200 accident-prone spots out of which 70 were labelled as most dangerous. The report is there but nothing is done. The roads are also infested with cattle, stray dogs. I am not opposed to helmets per se but other things (like the aforesaid) should happen. The common causes of maximum accidents are buses and trucks. Among the buses, KTC is labelled as a giant killer. The punishment in such cases must be made more deterrent. Alcohol consumption by truck drivers is on the increase and accidents often happen after sunset. Despite this, the traffic police close shop after sunset. Helmets will help only if the rest is taken care of.
The government will have to have the will and the consistency. If the government had conducted proper research in 2001, then why it needed to dig out this issue in 2005 and now in 2009?
GT: So why do you think the government has dug out this issue now?
AA: There appears to be a nexus between helmet manufacturing lobby and the authorities. The whole issue is linked to corruption. If the government was sincere, then why did it not do anything to check the 200 accident-prone zones as indicated by NRRI? There needs to be a better co-ordination between police, RTO and the PWD for betterment of roads. The target should be to reduce the number of accidents.
GT: Do you feel fines are not acting as a deterrent enough for instilling fear in the minds of errant drivers?
AA: Drunken drivers do not sit for even an hour in jail. They are fined either Rs 500 or Rs 1,000. On the other hand, 90% of the motorcycle pilots operate within the city and very low rate of fatal accidents, almost negligible, is reported among them.
GT: But helmets are being made compulsory in neighbouring states like Delhi, Maharashtra...
AA: Nobody opposes helmets. But the government is fooling the people by saying that fatalities have reduced. Bad roads are the cause. Death of pedestrians (17 in 2008) is very high.
GT: In case this rule is enforced, how do you see the situation unfolding in the near future?
AA Aires: Enforcing this rule in cities will be a hassle. For instance, take the sheer numbers of people travelling from say Margao to Panjim. They park their two-wheelers at the bus stand. Now, they will have to carry their helmets all the way to Panjim. In Delhi, there are compartments at the bus stands where two-wheeler riders can store their helmets. In Panjim city, maximum speeding by young two-wheeler riders occurs on the Miramar-DonaPoula sector. The police needs to clamp down on them, seize their bikes and embarass them. Otherwise, road accidents in cities are negligible.
GT: What is your future course of action in case the government proceeds to implement this rule?
AA: Although Motor Vehicles Act is a central piece of legislation, the state government is empowered to incorporate some exemptions only after convincing the Court of its necessity. The exemptions of helmets can be for pillion riders and within city limits. I have never been against helmets, but rest of the things need to be done.
