While the traffic police appear to be fond of setting up stops across the capital now and then and imposing fines on two-wheeler riders without a helmet, proper paperwork, and such, their zeal seems to be limited to the occasional inspections.
Once such checks are over, riders go back to flouting the traffic rules with impunity. Drive out in the city at any hour, and you cannot miss dyed-blond schoolboys zipping through the traffic – oftentimes three to a two-wheeler – with no helmet on, and probably no paper showing registration or insurance; and the traffic police meanwhile are too involved in the traffic to put a stop to such activities.
Being of an age when showing off matters more than much else, these boys throw all caution to the wind and drive hell for leather. It is odd that they are never pulled up for their antics, and no policeman ever stops them and demands their papers. Why is it that the police conduct traffic checks only as the fancy takes them? Count the number of times two-wheeler accidents have occurred in the capital: most of them involve kids who are not of the age to hold a driving licence. Yet nothing is being done to curb such rash driving.
While a large chunk of the responsibility lies with the parents of children who allow their wards to ride two-wheelers at such young age, if the police are serious about bringing down accidents and checking illegal driving, they should set to actually stopping such riders in the traffic and seizing their two-wheelers on the spot.
Occasional strictness will bear no fruit.