Berhampur: Despite the implementation of the helmet rule with a fine of Rs 1,000 per violation, Ganjam district has recorded a rise in the number of violations by bike riders not using the safety gear.As many as 975 helmet rule violation cases were registered in Aug, when Rs 9.75 lakh in fines were collected. The number increased to1,061 in Sept, when Rs 10.61 lakh in fines were collected, sources said.The silk city, meanwhile, reports around 120 Motor Vehicle (MV) Act violations, including riding without a helmet, daily, as revealed by the Berhampur traffic police.In Sept alone, the Berhampur traffic police registered 3,500 cases. This month, by Oct 22, they registered 2,715 motor vehicle violation cases, sources said. “This means we have detected 120 violators daily. A fine of Rs 1,000 was collected per person for violating the helmet rule,” said Purna Chandra Bhatta, inspector in charge, traffic police, Berhampur.Besides being checked by a dedicated squad, the violators were caught by AI cameras installed at different signals under the integrated traffic management system.Sources said in the first eight months of this year, the district witnessed a 2.1% decrease in mishaps compared to the corresponding period of last year. During the period, the number of fatalities, however, increased by 14.69%, official sources said.A total of 603 road mishaps were reported from Jan to Aug this year, compared with 616 accidents reported during the same period in 2025. While 359 people lost their lives in the accidents till Aug this year, 313 died in the same period in 2025, sources said.Expressing grave concern, the district road safety committee, headed by collector Keerthi Vassan V, stressed strict imposition of the helmet rule and a crackdown on rash driving to curb the fatal incidents.The collector has urged govt employees to wear helmets on two-wheelers and seat belts in four-wheelers.