No more bike stunts on New Year

Lahore police is gearing up to arrest young bikers performing stunts around the city during the hyper-active New Year and Christmas celebrations.

Dawn reports that Lahore police have identified around 55 "hotspots", also called "death points", where groups of youngsters perform stunts and one-wheeling on motorcycles, leading to accidents and fatal injuries. 

The roads identified by the city operation police include the stretch from Punjab University New Campus to Thokar Niaz Baig on Canal Road, Gulberg’s Main Boulevard, Jail Road, The Mall, Cavalry Bridge and some main roads of the DHA.

On festive occasions, like Christmas and New Year, many youngsters lose their lives while others suffer permanent disabilities after indulging in these potentially fatal activities.  

The youth get help from mechanics to modify their bikes and perform stunts while riding a zigzag, sometimes lying flat on their two-wheelers or standing on them and even leaving the handle.

During a recent meeting,  police officials devised a robust security and enforcement plan to tackle the menace of one-wheeling and other bike stunts.

While talking to Dawn, DIG Operations said, “We have pinpointed a total of 55 hotspots across the city, using advanced technology and data science to implement targeted interventions against such deadly practices.”

Hotspots

These hotspots include four areas in the City Division, eight in Civil Lines, five in Cantonment, 16 in Model Town, and six in Iqbal Town Division.

Outlining the plan Faisal Kamran said that 1,679 officers and personnel will be deployed in addition to routine police force to monitor these hotspot regions.

The contingent of the special forces includes six SPs, 22 SDPOs, and 83 SHOs, who will be on duty till the end of December this year.

The DIG further said that additional checkpoints and enhanced patrolling will also be conducted as part of the plan to curb these bikers.

Moreover, Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) cameras will also be used to monitor the roads already identified by the police in real-time to check bike stunts.

In the longer run, the police intend to initiate legal action against facilitators or mechanics who modify bikes for such dangerous stunts for the youth.

“Mechanics involved in bike alterations that enable youngsters to do stunts will also face strict consequences, including arrest and detention,” Faisal Kamran warned while adding that the recurrent offenders will be required to provide surety bonds to ensure compliance.

The DIG appealed that the parents should keep a check on their children to prevent them from engaging in dangerous activities.

He urged citizens to report such activities and the facilitators (mechanics, etc) to the police through the 15 Helpline.

Reportedly, on some of these roads, adventurous youngsters riding modified 125cc bikes set a target of crossing 200km per hour speed, which could either result in death or a lifelong injury.