Helmet Sale Yet to Rev Up

Helmet sellers from Andhra Pradesh and Delhi, who have put up stalls in various parts of the town last week expecting good business, are a disappointed lot. The pavements of several arterial roads including 100 Feet Road, ECR Bypass Road and Tindivanam Road have turned into a hub for helmets. More than 150 sellers from Andhra Pradesh and Delhi, including several women, are camping in Puducherry.

“We came here after seeing reports in the media on compulsory use of helmets. But, the sale is dull and disappointing,” a salesperson from Andhra Pradesh said.



The headgear sold here include local and ISI certified helmets and the cost varies at each pavement stall. While some local brands are priced at Rs. 100 to Rs. 200, some are sold for Rs. 350. “The rate of ISI-certified helmets also differs. Some sell a piece for Rs. 350, while others for Rs. 450 or Rs. 550,” another seller said.

A woman seller said, “I am here for the past six to seven days but have sold only five to six pieces. This is very disappointing.” A Delhi-based salesperson, who has been here for the past 11 days, wondered why the motorists did not take the traffic police’s announcement seriously. “I have sold only 20 helmets since my arrival here. I wonder if the violators are going to be fined,” he said.

An authorised helmet dealer said, “We expected a huge rush, but the response is dull. Earlier, we used to sell four to five pieces a day. Now, we are selling 10 a day.”

There was adequate stock of helmets. “We expected to sell 500 pieces out of 1,000 helmets. When the existing stock has not been sold, we do not know what to do with new stock,” he said.

Source: Hindu