City streets to see 'cool-headed' bikers, thanks to special helmet from HIDCO

Kolkata: Motorcycle riders in the city now have reason to rejoice as Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (HIDCO) is introducing a special type of helmet which will keep the rider's head cool, as part of the Safe Drive Save Life programme.

The helmet, the first of its kind in the country, has been manufactured by a Bengaluru-based company. The fully covered lightweight helmet has a temperature control system which is run by a battery. The batteries will have to be charged for eight hours in order to operate for a week.

It may be recalled that another firm had previously installed fans inside helmets to keep them cool but the solution did not last long after the fans developed snag. The firm had approached HIDCO and the helmet was given a trial for three months.

Welcoming the move, Subrata Boral, a long-distance biker, said it will be a very effective solution for those who cover long distances on motorcycles, particularly in the sweltering summer heat. "If it cools the rider's head in summer then it will be used on a large scale," he said. The firm will give some helmets to HIDCO which will be distributed among bikers to get a proper feedback. Bikers said very few riders use proper helmets, which are essential for safe riding. They feel that more awareness is required about the utility of proper helmets.