Reflectors on cycles: After BJP leaders intervene,cycle component makers suspend hunger strike for 3 days

A high-voltage drama was witnessed at the office of United Cycle and Parts Manufactures Association (UCPMA) on Monday in which their key functionaries went on a strike protesting the government’s order for making Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certified reflectors compulsory on bicycles.

The representatives including the association’s president sat on a hunger strike and later suspended the same for three days after assurance from BJP leaders of resolving the matter.

UCPMA President DS Chawla sat on a hunger strike demanding that the new law which mandates fixing of BIS certified reflectors mandatory on bicycles from January 1st 2023 be deferred.

“The provisions of the new mandate are very harsh and compliance to the same is very difficult. The fines are huge going in several lakhs. The BIS certified reflectors are not easily available. Only two to three major companies enjoy monopoly in making these certified reflectors. They have also increased the rates of these reflectors after the orders. The small-scale industry will be ruined as per the new law and only the big firms will benefit,” he claimed.

The protest and the hunger strike, however, was called off and deferred for three days after the BJP State general secretary Jiwan Gupta, party leaders Gurdev Sharma Debi and Rajneesh Dhiman met the industrialists and convinced them that soon a meeting will be fixed with the centre government to resolve the issue.

According to DS Chawla, “Regardless of us conveying our logical objections to the centre government and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) the nodal agency for giving Certificates of Conformity (COC) on reflectors law, we have received no response from both sides. Ever since this law came into effect the businesses of the small-scale bicycle manufacturers and traders has been affected,” he said.

State’s largest association of cycle manufacturers, UCPMA, is protesting against the government’s announcement to make BIS reflectors compulsory from January 1 this year.

The manufacturers rue that even though reflectors are necessary for the safety of riders, the decision has posed difficulties as there are only two or three companies that make BIS-certified reflectors and for the unorganised bicycle industry, it would be difficult to procure reflectors from them.

As per latest Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways published statistics, 4702 cyclists are killed in road accidents in India. The reflector direction was first issued on 2016 to save lives with increased visibility/conspicuousness of cyclists’- mostly poorest of poor riding during night or during poor visibility.

The quality control order on reflector with effect from January 1, 2023 specifies ISI mark on reflectors is added and license by reflector manufacturers and Certificate Of conformity by bicycle manufacturers respectively are to be taken as per BIS regulation. BIS is now monitoring enforcement of the direction of committee including at dealers’ stage through surveillance.