In a development that will offer respite to many Indian bikers, the Government of India will soon set norms for the premium helmets
In a decision that will come across as a relief for many Indian biking enthusiasts, the Government of India has decided to legalize premium helmets and set new norms for them. Until now, in a bid to mitigate the usage of inferior quality helmets, the Government mandated all helmets to conform to a set of rules with ISI certification.
However, as superior quality helmets, which are mostly imported to the country, are DOT or SNELL certified, many users have faced trouble to explain this to the cops. Moreover, the current rules don’t allow these helmets to gain ISI certification. However, the new rules should finally ease the restrictions for the legitimate sale of such headgear.
That said, all the importers of helmets will be required to obtain the new certification to make sure the headgear is considered legal. This will also help the Government curb the sale of inferior quality/duplicate helmets that are often imported to the country and are sold at a premium to the unsuspecting buyers.
“We should not deny the sale of a superior quality helmet if it’s safe. So, there is nothing wrong in going for another standard. However, anyone importing helmets from outside will have to get the BIS certification to sell them in India. BIS certification is not possible unless we have a notified standard” – a senior government official has reportedly commented.
The new norms will be put in place along with the already existing norms that have been set up by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for the helmets that weigh up to 1.2 kg. This norm was set after a multi-disciplinary panel appointed by the government recommended that the helmets should be made lighter by 300 grams and should be airier to enhance the ease of use.
However, many importers have challenged these conditions and have insisted on the European norms to be considered before putting a cap on the weight of the helmets. Finally, the new norms are expected to lift the current weight limit, thereby allowing the sale of imported helmets after gaining certification from the local authorities.