5 min readAhmedabadSep 10, 2025 02:35 AM IST
First published on: Sep 10, 2025 at 02:35 AM IST
Even as Rajkot Police’s drive to crack down on helmet-less two-wheeler riders entered its second day, two out of three MLAs from the city claimed that the Rs 500 fine imposed on violators would be placed in abeyance for at least the next two months.
On Tuesday, the three BJP MLAs – including Dr Darshita Shah of Rajkot (West), Ramesh Tilara of Rajkot (South), and Uday Kangad of Rajkot (East) – who were in Gandhinagar to attend the ongoing monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly, paid a visit to MoS, Home, Harsh Sanghavi, and made an appeal to defer the fine-collection drive.
The Rajkot Police, meanwhile, did not share the amount collected as fine on Day 2 of the drive following allegations that people were being penalised to fill government coffers, said a senior police officer.
On Monday, after 45 days of rigorous awareness programmes in public places, schools and online platforms, the Rajkot Police began its second attempt in six years to enforce the mandatory helmet rule as enshrined in the nationwide law under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Dr Shah, who is an MD in Pathology, said, “We placed the concerns of the people before Minister Harshbhai and he has taken it positively. The main aim of the government is to keep people safe, and not to collect fines. Some people have started wearing helmets due to awareness activities. However, the way people are protesting, the minister said that more awareness activities will be carried out over the next two months.”
Dr Shah said, “The kind of strict policing that was done yesterday (Monday), will not be continued. Instead, awareness activities will be carried out for another two months.”
The Rajkot City Police on Monday collected fines worth Rs 3.24 lakh from 648 riders besides issuing online e-challans of Rs 9.215 lakh to 1,923 riders. The crackdown led to protest by the people as well as by both the major opposition parties – the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
When asked about the Opposition’s concerns, Dr Shah said, “The corporation is repairing the potholes but since work can’t be properly carried out during monsoon, the problem remains. But whatever the cause of the accident, head injuries are a big issue and if you wear a helmet, it can save your life.”
In 2019, Rajkot Police’s drive to enforce helmet rule had ended in failure after protests by the citizens.
When asked if the last few years were not enough to convince people to start wearing helmets, Dr Shah said, “We need to still make people understand the need to wear helmets for their own safety. So, two more months of awareness will take place.”
MLA Tilala said, “Our request was that people should be made aware so that they start wearing the helmet of their own accord. If we undertake awareness activities for some more time, it will happen. We also requested that the people should not be penalised (for not wearing helmet). The government seemed positive on that front.”
On the previous attempts at enforcement, Tilala said, “We are explaining to people that we are trying to change their mindset for their own safety. There is also the court order that the government will have to work towards. We are positive that we will get success in that.”
When asked about the impact of protests on the municipal corporation elections coming up early in 2026, Tilala said, “I don’t think it will impact the elections but the people of Saurashtra don’t accept things through pressure, they have to be convinced.”
When asked to clarify that the police will not collect fines, Tilala replied in the affirmative.
The third MLA, Kangad, remained unavailable for comment.
The Indian Express attempted to reach out to senior police officers but they remained unavailable for comment. However, police sources said that no order forbidding them from collecting fines was received by the end of day. “The police fined several helmet-less people on Tuesday and would continue to do so. However, the police would no longer share data of helmet fines collected since protesters claimed that the government was using the traffic fines to fill its coffers,” said a senior officer.
BJP’s Rajkot MLAs Dr Darshita Shah, Ramesh Tilara, and Uday Kangad with minister Harsh Sanghavi in Gandhinagar; and (right) a motorist in Rajkot after receiving flowers from police for wearing a helmet (Express Photos) 
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