Jagatsinghpur: Police have started cracking the whip against those, who are riding two-wheelers without wearing helmets and indulging in drink driving.

About Rs 17 lakh were realised from bike riders for not wearing helmets in the past eight months and driving licences of 69 vehicle users have been cancelled by regional transport office for drink driving. "Five hundred cases were registered against the rule violators as part of the drive to check road accident fatalities," said sub-divisional police officer Bishnu Charan Mishra. The penalty was collected, according to the provisions of the Odisha Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.

The helmet-checking drive will be conducted on a daily basis as the number of accidents of bike riders are rampant here.

"Helmet-less bikers will be penalised for the first time, and if they are caught again, their driving licence will be cancelled," Mishra said. Those found driving without a helmet and valid documents or talking over mobile phone were also penalised. The police will recommend regional transport officials to initiate action against regular violators.

The district administration has asked the roads transport department to ensure basic road safety measures in the accident-prone zones of the highway. The department has been directed to install street lights and erect signboards at traffic signals at the accident-prone areas.

"Both the police and road transport officials were directed to sternly deal with unauthorised roadside parking," said Jagatsinghpur collector Yamini Sadangi.