In a bid to enhance the safety of two-wheeler drivers in India, MoRTH has put a ban on non-ISI helmets production and sale. This means if found producing or selling such helmets, one will have to pay a hefty fine of up to ₹5 lakh and/or imprisonment of up to 2 years.
This draft was issued last year in July 2020. Now it is effective from 1st June 2021 onwards. All helmets that are sold in India should have the ISI certification from BIS. Any production, import or sale will attract a hefty fine.
What does this mean for the imported non-ISI helmets certified by DOT or any other global standards?
This simply means that no other helmet other than ISI certified can be sold in India now. This means that any helmet that meets the standards similar or higher than the ISI certification stand banned from 1st June.
People who use an ISI sticker on a helmet that is not actually certified by ISI will have to pay a fine of up to ₹5 lakhs. You might also end up facing 1 year of jail time if found guilty.
This decision will surely prevent the sale of low-quality helmets. But this will also prevent the sale of those that conform to standards that are similar or better than ISI standards. This will put foreign manufacturers to either stop selling the helmets or get their products certified from ISI.
What are your thoughts on this ban? Should government rethink the ban on better helmets? Do let us know in the comments section below.
