LAHORE, March 1: Prices of local and imported helmets doubled as Punjab government's directive, making their use compulsory for motorcyclists was enforced across the province on Tuesday.

Hundreds of motorcyclists were seen queuing up at different spots in the city, especially on McLeod Road for the purchase of helmets. The traffic remained jammed there for hours.

Traffic police, along with law-enforcement personnel, set up pickets across the province and booked thousands of motorcyclists, fining Rs100 each for a violation. A Lahore police spokesman said 6,300 motorcyclists were booked in the city alone.

Most youngsters booked for the violation claimed they were on their way to purchase helmets while the elderly cited medical reasons for not wearing a helmet. The police, however, said that they had orders to spare no one.

"The violators will have to pay Rs300 and pillion riders will also have to wear helmets after March 10," said a traffic constable, adding on for continuation of the violation, the violator's two-wheeler would be impounded.

The police did not even spare those violators who produced medical certificates for not wearing helmets. Dr Muhammad Amir told this reporter that he was an asthma patient and had produced a certificate to the police but to no avail. "To me the implementation of this law is like a witch-hunt of the non-helmet wearing motorcyclists," he said.

Though the government and various helmet manufacturers had launched an awareness campaign before the law came into force, but no mention was made of the consequences of not wearing a helmet.

When contacted, a government officer said that those who could not wear helmets on medical grounds would have to appear before a medical board of the Services Hospital and then before the chief secretary to obtain an exemption.

The government has implemented section 69-A of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965, and section 239-A of the Motor Vehicle Rules 1969, which make compulsory for a motorcyclist to wear a helmet, he said.

Citizens, however, complained that the government was quick to implement the Motor Vehicle Ordinance without first ensuring to control helmet prices.Helmet prices which ranged between Rs 300 and Rs1,500 a couple of days ago but on Tuesday these jumped up to between Rs600 and Rs3,000.

Besides the stock of locally-made helmets priced at Rs300 was exhausted on Tuesday and motorcyclists were forced to purchase the imported, expensive ones. Interestingly, industrial helmets used mainly by builders were also sold in bulk on Tuesday owing to non-availability of locally-made helmets. These were seen selling for up to 200 per cent of their regular price.

"We are left with no option but to buy industrial helmets because the imported ones are out of our reach," complained Ali Hasan, a trader from McLeod Road. He and other customers were seen blaming the government for not taking measures to arrest prices.

"It seems that some government officials have signed an agreement with foreign companies and are importing helmets," accused Sheikh Naveed, a law student. "The law regarding helmet wearing has existed for decades but the government has used it whenever it wishes. It is least bothered about difficulties faced by those who cannot use it for one reason or the other."

During the tenure of the late General Ziaul Haq, compulsory helmet wearing was imposed for the first time in the history of the country. The restriction, however, had to be relaxed because motorcyclists refused to comply, despite prosecution. At that time there was reportedly just one helmet manufacturing company in the country.

While traffic police which booked violators on the one hand, the unscrupulous among them also made a kill, demanding bribes between Rs50 and Rs150 from violators.

The owners of motorcycle rentals also started cashing in on the implementation of the law by renting out helmets. A helmet is available for a rent of Rs10 an hour and Rs20 for a night.