SSPU joins Pune’s helmet push, makes it mandatory for students, staff and visitors entering campus on two-wheelers
The Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has made it mandatory for staff, students and visitors to wear helmets while entering the university premises on two-wheelers. The move is part of the Pune administration’s push to ensure helmet compliance by making it mandatory at government and semi-government offices and institutions.
Last week, Pune observed a ‘symbolic helmet day’ on the initiative of District Collector Rajesh Deshmukh. The traffic police also launched a three-day campaign under which checkpoints were established near government offices and violators were penalised while those wearing helmets were felicitated by giving roses.
A circular issued by SPPU Registrar Prafulla Pawar read: “All officers, staffers, students and citizens are being informed that while travelling in SPPU campus on a motorbike, a helmet must be worn. The violating citizens, officers and students will be liable to be punished under relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.”
As per the Motor Vehicles Act, both the rider and the pillion rider above four years of age must wear a helmet while riding a two-wheeler.
There are about 3,500 students enrolled in various on-campus departments of the SPPU, while there are around 600 staffers who work or stay within the premises of the university.
Last week, while highlighting the importance of wearing helmets, collector Deshmukh said that every day 411 people die in road accidents, and among those, 80 per cent are bike riders and pedestrians. “Helmet provides considerable safety to the brain and increases chances of survival in case of potentially fatal accidents by 80 per cent,” he said.
