'No helmet No petrol' for Siliguri, orders police

After West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her displeasure over two wheeler drivers not wearing helmets when travelling, the Siliguri Metropolitan Police (SMP) has launched a road safety 'No helmet No petrol' rule forbidding petrol pumps from selling fuel to motorcyclists not having protective headgear.

Siliguri Deputy Commissioner of Traffic (DCP), Shyam Singh said no petrol pumps under the jurisdiction of the Siliguri Metropolitan Police shall henceforth sell petrol to any such two wheeler rider who comes to the petrol pump without a helmet.

"If any petrol pump does not follow this direction, they will be punished under Section 188 Indian Penal Code," Singh said.

The North Bengal Petrol Dealer Association (NBPDA), however, said, it will take time for the people to immediately follow the rule, but it will reduce the number of accident.

The Siliguri Metropolitan Police has also announced a ban on parking of two-wheelers in paid parking slots for riders without the protective headgears.

According to reports, Siliguri Police Commissioner C.S. Lepcha told in a news conference yesterday that Banerjee has launched a state-wide safe driving campaign in Kolkata to reduce the number of road accidents, asking them to launch awareness drives and implement certain decisions taken by the government.

"We are enforcing the 'No Helmet No Petrol' initiative in Siliguri. Under the initiative, none of the 36 oil pumps in the Siliguri metropolitan police area will sell fuel to any biker not wearing a helmet," she added

She also said that there will be surprise checks on petrol pumps to see whether they are selling oil to bikers without helmets.

"If any pump is found to be flouting the order, we will take legal steps against the pump owners and others concerned," she added.