April 15, 2007 Stringent
traffic laws push helmet sales in Delhi
New Delhi,
Helmet traders and vendors are raking in the moolah as sales have
gone up manifold within a week of the police enforcing stringent
traffic laws in the national capital.
Following
the Delhi High Court's directions, the enforcement of the new
traffic rules since April 9 has become stringent with the minimum
fine for offences revised from Rs.100 to Rs.600.
Out of five million vehicles plying in the capital, at least two
million are two-wheelers and their owners feel more harassed as they
think that the increased fine of Rs.500 is a bit too heavy.
"I used to sell three or four helmets a day. But since the new
rules have come into force the sales have gone up several
times," said Raj Kumar, who runs a small roadside shop near
Raja Garden flyover in west Delhi.
"My profits have gone up to Rs.150 a day from Rs.25-Rs.40.
Having my outlet at a strategic location where traffic cops are
there 24 hours has also helped," added Santosh Jha, another
vendor at the footpath near Ashram Chowk in south Delhi.
Even errant vehicle owners now prefer to be on the right side of the
law because of the enhanced fine. Some 7,000 people on an average
are handed violation slips every day, Deputy Commissioner of Police
H.P.S. Virk told IANS.
"As the fine has been increased to Rs.600, I think people would
prefer to buy helmets that cost only Rs.200 to escape a higher
penalty," said Ashish Ray, while picking up a helmet from Raj
Kumar.
On an average, the helmets cost between Rs.100 and Rs.1,500,
depending on the brand and its quality, said a local manufacturer.
"We were supplying 500 helmets a day to local markets but from
the past few days we have been asked to double the supplies,"
said Jagjit Singh.
The stringent laws have also kept dealers of car accessories busy.
As per data with the Delhi Traffic Police, some 300,000 cars in the
city sport dark films or tinted glasses and this, too, carries a
minimum fine of Rs.600.
"In past four days, I have removed black films from at least 70
cars," said Hari Om, owner of Car Home accessory shop in Dwarka,
adding that owners of cars with tinted glasses have no option but to
change them completely.
"We never had any customer in past who wished to peel-off black
films from their cars. In fact they had always approached to get
their car glass tinted. Now the same people for whom we fixed the
films want them removed."
Meanwhile, the police intend to go on an overdrive from next week.
"In the next few days, we will intensify the drive against
violators. Motorists must adhere to the rules to avoid prosecution
and inconvenience," said Joint Commissioner of Police Qamar
Ahmed.
He said his force had prosecuted over 40,000 people and collected a
record Rs.17 million as fines in the past week alone.
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