Safety knot: Cops tie Rakhi to helmetless bikers, ask to protect self

NAVI MUMBAI: On the auspicious occasion of Raksha Bandhan, in a unique move, the Panvel traffic unit in coordination with the Panvel city police and journalists’ Association in Panvel carried out traffic rules awareness drive wherein women traffic cops stopped helmetless bike riders and instead of imposing penalty on them, they were tied Rakhis by the women traffic constables.
The aim was to encourage the bike riders for their personal safety by wearing a helmet and abiding traffic rules. Each offender was made to take a promise of self-protection by wearing helmet while riding a bike thus ensuring to abide by the law, similar to the promise he makes to his sister on Raksha Bandhan that he will protect her by ensuring her safety.
Senior inspector Abhijit Mohite of Panvel traffic unit said, “As helmetless bike riders are more prone to fatal mishaps, the unique drive of tying Rakhis was conducted for the bikers to understand the importance of wearing a helmet while riding. Imposing penalty on traffic offenders for collecting revenue is not the motive of the traffic department, but to make the citizens realize their responsibility as a civilized individual.”
Woman traffic constable Rajani Palande said, “As I do not have a brother, I never took holiday for the festival of Raksha Bandhan. But, due to this unique drive of tying a Rakhi to bikers for riding without a helmet and taking promise from them as a sister, not to break traffic rules, I even got an opportunity to celebrate the festival of brother-sister relationship while fulfilling my duty.”
On the similar lines, around 25 students of Saraswati Institute of Engineering celebrated Raksha bandhan in a very unique manner. They decided to tie Rakhis to the traffic offenders. A bunch of local ladies tied Rakhis to the sweepers who come to clean their areas. Engineering students including the members of NSS and faculties took up a campaign on road safety in association with the traffic police at Hiranandani chowk at Kharghar. Girls tied rakhi to traffic violators in which most of them were bikers caught for not wearing helmets. Just within an hour of the campaign, over 15 15 offenders were caught and had Rakhis on their hands. The group also tied Rakhi to the potholes asking for the safety of the motorists who have no option but to travel through them.