Electric two-wheeler dealers not providing free helmets as per norms: Dandriyal
Wednesday, 27 September 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Almost all the dealers selling electric two-wheeler vehicles in Dehradun are not giving first time buyers a free helmet which is mandatory as per Central Motor Vehicles Rules, claimed the president of city bus union and RTI activist Vijay Vardhan Dandriyal. He said that he has talked to some dealers and e-vehicle showroom owners who clearly stated that they do not give free helmets with the purchase of vehicles. “This is clearly a blatant violation of the rule and nobody is paying any attention to it.
Many people are not probably aware that the sellers are bound to give helmets to the first time buyers as per the rules,” said Dandriyal. He said that Rule 138(4) (f) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 prescribes that at the time of purchase of a two-wheeler, the manufacturer shall supply a protective headgear conforming to the specifications prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986. He also claimed that as per the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) has to ensure compliance with the free helmet norm and not register new vehicles without verification.
However, authorities do not seem to care about Dehradun, he said. He said that as per the data of the department concerned, several people riding two-wheelers die every year because they fail to wear helmets. He said that many such lives could have been saved if the authorities concerned had ensured compliance with the free helmet norm at the time of vehicle registration itself. “We appeal to the RTO of Dehradun to ensure all dealers of two-wheeler vehicles provide free helmets to customers as per the norm or take strict action against the violators,” added Dandriyal.
