Wearing helmets will become compulsory for all two-wheeler riders in Gujarat from Thursday.

While the rule was in force for national highways and other highways in the state, it will be implemented across the board from Sep 1 following a Gujarat High Court ruling earlier this month.

"The new rule will apply to all the roads in the state for all kinds of two-wheelers. Wearing the helmet is mandatory for all, including pillion riders, though women and children are exempted," the city's additional police commissioner (traffic) Vikas Sahay said Tuesday.

Taking suo motu note of the rising incidents of road accidents in the state, the high court had directed the state government to make helmets mandatory for all two-wheeler riders by Aug 1.

The state government had, however, sought more time for educating people and making the requisite stock of helmets available.

Sahay said about 82,000 offenders were booked on highways and a sum of Rs.4 million was collected from them as fine this year.