Visakhapatnam: No helmet, no petrol' drive delayed
A petrol bunk owner, on condition of anonymity, said they cannot refuse petrol to a person who is an emergency situation.
Visakhapatnam: The proposed “no helmet, no petrol” drive by the district administration is getting delayed with petrol pump owners saying they will start making consumers aware from this week.
Though the RTA had instructed petrol pump owners to implement the new rule, fuel station owners have said that they would start a week-long awareness campaign.
The district administration said that 170 petrol pumps in the Vizag region sell around 10 lakh litres of diesel and 5 lakh litres of petrol daily.
S. Venkateswara Rao, deputy transport commissioner, said they have issued letters to all petrol pumps in the Vizag region to refuse fuel to two-wheeler riders if they come without wearing a helmet. The aim is to curb road accidents as 40 two-wheeler riders died in road accidents in Andhra Pradesh in 2016.
“We have asked petrol bunk owners to install CCTVs to implement the rule,” he added.
A petrol bunk owner, on condition of anonymity, said they cannot refuse petrol to a person who is an emergency situation. “Some two wheeler riders will borrow the head guard from others to get petrol. The rule may not succeed as motorists will adopt innovative ways to get petrol,” he added.
“We will soon kick start the drive. Banners and posters will be put up at petrol pumps to create awareness,” he added.