RTO officials said that every new two-wheeler that has been manufactured after April 1, 2018, will have to be fitted with ABS before it comes for registration at the RTO. (Express Photo by Manoj Kumar/Image used for representational purpose)
WITH the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways making anti-lock braking system (ABS) mandatory for all two-wheelers, the 27.03 lakh existing two-wheelers in city will have to instal the equipment, each of which might cost between Rs 5,000 and Rs 8,000. Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials said that every new two-wheeler that has been manufactured after April 1, 2018, will have to be fitted with ABS before it comes for registration at the RTO. Those already registered and on the road, have been given a deadline of March 31, 2019.
The ABS prevents brakes from locking up, when they are suddenly applied on a slippery road. The ABS is generally used for two-wheelers with an engine capacity of over 125 cc. For vehicles below that capacity, a similar system, Combined Braking System (CBS), is installed that distributes pressure applied on the rear wheel to the front wheel, minimising chances of accidents. The ministry notification, dated March 16, 2016, had said that ABS and CBS will be mandatory April 1, 2019. At present, some two-wheeler companies that make bikes with an engine capacity of over 200 cc have been installing the system before selling the vehicles. While manufacturing firms need to worry about the new vehicles that will hit the market, for existing vehicles, the onus of getting the ABS and CBS is on the owners.
However, it is not clear from where they are supposed to obtain the equipment. RTO officials, though, said there was no need for worry. “We will come up with directives and information that will help two-wheeler owners get ABS and CBS conveniently and at a fair price. Also, the deadline to get them fitted is March 31, 2019. So, there enough time at hand,” said Sanjay Raut, the deputy RTO, Pune. Those in the know said the equipment may cost Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000.
“It is not clear if the the decision will affect the pricing of two wheelers. There are several bike companies that are doing it for several years now,” said a dealer in Shivajinagar area. Regional Transport Officer Vinod Sagre said if vehicles manufactured after April 2018 have not installed the ABS, the vehicles will not be registered by the RTO. “During the registration of vehicles, the RTO inspector will check the date of manufacture. It is easy to find new vehicles (After April 1, 2018,),” he said.