Udupi: Minister Pramod Madhwaraj voluntarily paid fine for not wearing helmet while riding bike after he was criticised on social media by the public.
Minister Madhwaraj came under fire after he rode one of the Congress activist’s bike without wearing helmet during a programme held in Karje in Brahmavara on November 9.
Several people on social media questioned as to why the minister was exempted from mandatory helmet rule. Minister, after coming to know of the ongoing criticism on social media, paid Rs 100 fine.
Udupi SP Dr. Sanjeev Patil has confirmed the same.
Mandatory helmet rule was passed even for the pillion riders across the state from 1 February 2016. The first time offender will be fined Rs 100. But a third time offender may lose his/her driving license, if the pillion rider does not wear helmet.
The rule is being implemented after the Supreme Court Committee of Road Safety directed the state to implement it at the earliest. The committee had notified the same to six states including Karnataka first on 18 August 2015 to implement the rule. According to the notification, two-wheeler riders and pillion, irrespective of the horsepower of the vehicle, will have to wear helmets. The earlier rule was applicable only for riders in major municipal corporation areas but the new rule has made helmet mandatory for both the rider and pillion across the state.
