The Chandigarh Administration’s proposal to make helmets mandatory for women riding two-wheelers has received a positive response from women drivers in the city.

However, the proposal will exempt baptised Sikh women, who wear turban.

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A 32-year-old advocate, Prabhjeet Kaur, who rides a two-wheeler, welcomed the move. “If it is already compulsory for men to wear helmets, then why not for women? After all it is a matter of our safety,” she said.

Another city resident, Shreela (24) said the law should be implemented as soon as possible. “Laws are not gender specific. They are meant for people’s safety. It doesn’t matter if it’s a man or a woman,” she said while favoring the move.

A 28-year-old PhD student, Manju Jaswal said, “Whether male or female, the injury would be severe without a helmet. So, it should be implemented,”.

Another 28-year-old woman, Sujata Jaglai strongly favors the decision. “It should have been done long back,” she said. Where as a 17-year-old student, Manjot Bangarh who usually doesn’t wears a helmet is in favor of the proposal and said this would push her to wear a helmet in the future while riding a two-wheeler.

A fitness and yoga instructor, Gurwinder Singh (30) said “It’s definitely a really good step for road safety but exception should be made for those who wear turbans.”

In response to Punjab and Haryana High Court’s suo-moto notice on the issue of safety of women (including Sikh Women) while driving or riding two wheelers and the exemption given to them from wearing headgear under the Motor Vehicle Rules, the Chandigarh Administration on Tuesday proposed to make changes to the Chandigarh Motor Vehicle Rules, 1990 to make helmets mandatory for women riding two-wheelers, except Sikh women who wear turbans.

The words “a Sikh woman wearing a turban” instead of words “or a Woman” are proposed to be substituted in the Rules.

In a draft notification, the administration has invited objections and suggestions from residents of the city on the proposed amendment in the Rules within thirty days.

In the past three years, 24 women riding two-wheelers have lost their lives and 85 have sustained injuries on Chandigarh roads.