Centre launches special nationwide drive against substandard helmets
New Delhi, Oct 26: The Centre has ordered district officials to crack down on manufacturers and sellers of non-ISI certified helmets, following concerns over road safety and substandard protective gear flooding the market.
The government has cancelled or allowed to expire 162 helmet manufacturing licences to date, while authorities have conducted 27 raids targeting violations of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) regulations, the consumer affairs ministry said on Saturday.
"Helmets save lives, but only if they are of good quality," Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said. "This initiative is crucial in removing unsafe helmets from the market."
The crackdown comes after the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways implemented a Quality Control Order in June 2021, making BIS certification mandatory for all helmets under standard IS 4151:2015.
The officials have particularly targeted roadside vendors selling uncertified helmets, which have been linked to motorcycle accident fatalities. Consumers can verify manufacturer credentials through the BIS Care App or website.
District officials have been instructed to work with police and BIS officers to identify violations. The campaign will be integrated with existing road safety initiatives, the Consumer Affairs Ministry said.
Wearing helmets is mandatory under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, but the widespread availability of substandard gear has undermined safety efforts.
The ministry's branch offices will coordinate with local administration and police to support the enforcement drive, the statement said.
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Those rejected by people trying to control Parliament: PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed the opposition, saying those who were rejected by people 80-90 times were trying to control Parliament by resorting to hooliganism for their own political gains.
Addressing reporters ahead of the start of the Winter Session of Parliament, Modi said such handful of people did not succeed in their intentions but people of the country observed their actions and punished them at an appropriate time.
Modi's remarks came days after the BJP-led coalition won the Maharashtra Assembly elections by a landslide, bagging 235 seats and relegating the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi to a distant 49 seats in the 288-member House.
Earlier, the BJP registered a surprise third consecutive victory in the Haryana polls, trouncing the Congress, which was billed as a pre-poll favourite.
"There should be a healthy debate in the Parliament but, unfortunately, certain individuals are trying to control Parliament for their own political gains, resorting to disruptions and chaos," Modi said.
"Though their tactics ultimately fail, the people watch their behaviour closely and deliver justice when the time comes," he added.
Modi said he had been repeatedly urging opposition colleagues, and some also agreed that Parliament should function smoothly.
"But those who have been continuously rejected by the public ignore the words of their colleagues and disrespect their sentiments and that of democracy," the prime minister said.
The Winter Session of Parliament began on Monday and is scheduled to continue till December 20.
