Manufacturers oppose proposal to fix reflective tapes on bicycles

Ludhiana: City bicycle and parts manufacturers are up in arms against the Centre for the new proposal of affixing special adhesive tape on bicycles for safety of the rider.
According to the bicycle and parts manufacturers the rate of bicycle will be dearer by Rs 20 and considering the current scenario, when already the industrialists have suffered huge losses in the wake of Covid-19 lockdown, even a smallest hike in the rate of bicycles will deal a big blow to their business.
Several office-bearers and members of United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association (UCPMA) met at its Gill Road office on Monday evening and condemned this proposal of affixing reflective tapes, which has been mooted by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Speaking on the occasion, Manjinder Singh Sachdeva, general secretary of association, said, “We strongly oppose the proposal to consider installing a special type of tape on bicycles in the name of safety for cyclists. If the central government really wants the safety of cyclists, it should build cycle lanes along all roads in the country, so that cyclists could ride bicycles safely without worrying about anything.”
He added, “Moreover, the tape which is being proposed to be affixed on the bicycles is not even being manufactured in India and has to be imported from China. By affixing this tape on bicycle the rate of bicycle will become more dearer by Rs 20, which is nothing less than a burden on the industrialists as the customers will not agree to pay this additional charge to us and we will suffer further losses in addition to what we are already incurring in the wake of Covid.”
Speaking on the issue, senior vice-president of UCPMA, Gurcharan Singh Gemco, said, “It’s really shocking that how does Union ministry has reached the conclusion that if a certain type of tape is affixed on the bicycle it will become more safe for the rider. When two wheelers and four wheelers, which even have headlights and reflective tapes as well, but even then they collide and cause huge accidents and deaths. The only realtime solution for ensuring safety of bicycle riders is by making separate bicycle lanes for them and also imposing quick and harsh punishment on people breaking the traffic laws. Whether we fix adhesive tape or provide helmets and knee guards to the bicycle riders, nothing is going to work.”
Meanwhile other businessmen present on the occasion included Satnam Singh Makkar, Achhru Ram Gupta, Rajinder Singh Sarhali, Vilayti Ram.