New Delhi, 5 July (IANS). Taking a major step towards road safety, the central government appealed to consumers across the country on Saturday to use certified helmets only by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
The Department of Consumer Affairs also called for strict action against the construction or sale of helmets without BIS certification.
According to data from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, there are more than 21 million two -wheelers on roads in India.
Wearing helmets is mandatory under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, but its effectiveness depends on quality. Poor helmets compromise on safety and fail their objectives.
To deal with this, a quality control order has been implemented since 2021, under which certified ISI-Mark Helmet is mandatory for all two-wheelers (IS 4151: 2015).
The ministry said, “By June 2025, 176 manufacturers across India have a valid BIS license for protective helmets.”
The ministry said, “The department has found that many helmets sold along the road do not have compulsory BIS certification, causing damage to customers and in many cases many people die in road accidents. Therefore, there is an immediate need to deal with the issue.”
To implement quality standards, BIS regularly monitors factory and market.
In the last financial year, BIS tested more than 500 helmet samples and conducted more than 30 search and seizure campaigns for misuse of BIS Standard Mark.
The ministry said, “In a campaign in Delhi, more than 2,500 non-non-contradictory helmets were seized from nine manufacturers, whose licenses were finished or canceled. 17 About 500 poor helmets were seized due to similar action at retail and roadside places, against which legal proceedings are going on,”
In addition, BIS has added a provision on the BIS Care App and BIS portal, allowing it to investigate whether the helmet manufacturer has a license. Along with this, customers also get the facility to file a complaint on the BIS Care App.
-IANS
SKT/