PRAYAGRAJ, Sept. 11 -- Despite a consistent rise in road fatalities across the state-many involving two-wheeler riders-the government's efforts to enforce helmet use have met with stubborn resistance. A recent initiative, the month-long 'No Helmet-No Fuel' campaign, underscores the seriousness of the issue, yet many commuters continue to flout the rule, risking both their lives and their wallets. In Prayagraj district, official data from 2024 reveals that the non-use of helmets attracted the highest number of challans among all traffic violations-making it the top revenue earner under the Motor Vehicles Act for the year. The fine for not wearing a helmet is Rs.1,000. Between January 1 and December 31, 2024, authorities issued 79,317 challans for helmet violations, resulting in a staggering Rs.7.93 crore in penalties paid by two-wheeler riders. This equates to an average of 6,609 challans per month, generating approximately Rs.66.09 lakh in monthly revenue. Even in 2025, the trend continues. From January to August, 12,899 commuters have already been fined, which means an average of 1,612 challans per month, contributing over Rs.1.29 crore in revenue in just eight months. According to traffic inspector Amit Kumar, the widespread disregard for helmet laws is a major contributor to the growing number of road casualties. "The large-scale violation of this basic safety rule is weighing heavily on commuter safety," he said. Interestingly, helmet seller Ratan Singh pointed out that the average cost of a branded helmet ranges between Rs.1,600 and Rs.3,000, yet commuters often end up paying far more annually as fines-essentially covering the cost of a good-quality helmet but still choosing to ride without one. Data from the past 54 months (January 2021 to July 2025) shows the severity of the issue. A total of 5,844 road accidents were reported in Prayagraj, resulting in 2,679 deaths and 3,663 serious injuries. This translates to an average of 49 deaths per month, or nearly two fatalities per day. Despite consistent awareness drives, stricter enforcement, and high penalties, the non-use of helmets continues to claim lives - and the trend shows no signs of slowing down....