Mayor says he took off the helmet for media photos

Hyderabad: Office of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Mayor on Thursday explained to city’s traffic police regarding violation of traffic rules during Mayor Bonthu Ram Mohan’s surprise inspection of sanitation works on Wednesday night in the city.

Ram Mohan conducted a surprise inspection of sanitation works in the city by riding a bike without helmet from 11:00pm to 6:00am on Wednesday night. The pictures of Mayor’s ride without helmet during the inspection were circulated in media on Thursday which created a furore.

In this backdrop, Hyderabad city’s traffic police on Thursday decided to issue a chalan of Rs.100 to the Mayor for violating the traffic rules (riding a motorcycle without helmet) after receiving complaints from LB Nagar Area through the App. However, the Mayor’s office on Thursday gave an explanation to the traffic police including the photos proving that Mayor had worn the helmet throughout the ride. As some reporters requested, Mayor removed the helmet for a short while for the photo shoot only, said the explanation.

By the explanation submitted by the Mayor’s office, Traffic Department DCP-II AV Ranganath told Sakshi that they had cancelled the chalan which was intended to be issued against the Mayor.