169 Government Employees in Pune Penalized for Not Wearing Helmets

Pune, 27th December 2024: Over the past two months, the Pune traffic department has registered 169 cases of government employees failing to comply with the mandatory helmet rule. These violations occurred at six major government offices in Pune, including the divisional commissioner’s office, the Pune collectorate, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), the Pune zilla parishad, and the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO). Officials reported these figures on Wednesday.

The violations were part of approximately 4,000 cases documented across the city during the same period. Of the total 169 cases involving government offices, 121 were registered by the end of November, while another 48 cases were added in December.

Following directives issued by Pune Divisional Commissioner Chandrakant Pulkundwar on October 19, government departments have been informed about these violations and have been urged to take departmental action. “Repeat offenders will face departmental penalties,” said an official from the divisional commissioner’s office. The official also stressed the critical need for helmets, given the increasing number of two-wheeler accidents in Pune.

The Pune RTO stated that surveillance measures are being enforced at all government premises. “We have implemented strict monitoring as per the divisional commissioner’s guidelines. Moving forward, we plan to enhance our vigilance in the coming year,” said an RTO official.

The enforcement drive is part of a broader initiative launched after a meeting with retired Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre, chairperson of the Supreme Court-appointed road safety committee. During the meeting, Justice Sapre expressed concern over the low compliance rate of helmet rules among government employees in Pune. He emphasized the need for strict adherence, warning that violators could face punitive measures, including negative remarks in their service records.

Under Section 129 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and the Maharashtra Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, department heads are responsible for maintaining records of employee compliance and taking disciplinary action against those who violate the rules. District collectors have also been tasked with conducting quarterly reviews to ensure sustained adherence.