New Delhi: More than 2,500 non-compliant two-wheeler helmets were seized from nine manufacturers and another 500 from 17 roadside and retail locations in Delhi in 2024-25, the Union consumer affairs department said on Saturday, as it continues its crackdown on the menace of sale of sub-standard driving headgear in the national capital.The department has asked states, UTs and local authorities to take strict action against manufacturers and sellers of sub-standard helmets, even as the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has intensified confiscation of non-certified protective headgears. It said across the country, BIS has conducted over 30 search-and-seizure operations and has tested more than 500 helmet samples in FY 25.“With over 21 crore two-wheelers on Indian roads, rider safety is paramount.
While wearing a helmet is mandatory under the Motor Vehicles Act, its effectiveness depends on quality. Sub-standard helmets compromise protection and defeat their purpose,” it said.
Though a Quality Control Order in force since 2021, mandating manufacturing, storage and selling of only ISI-marked helmets, several helmets sold on roadsides lack the mandatory BIS certification, posing significant risks to consumers.
There are 176 manufacturers in India with valid BIS licences, as of June 2025.The department said the results of its campaign against non-standard helmets were “encouraging, particularly in Delhi-NCR, and the campaign is spreading to other regions too”. Delhi and NCR have a high share of two-wheelers. “The actions in Delhi and its neighbouring cities have a greater impact across the country. BIS has been directed to carry out more inspection of factories and retail outlets in the NCR,” said an official.