'Safety Should Not Be Taxed': Tvarra Helmet CEO Appeals To Nirmala Sitharaman To Cut 18% GST

Every 11 minutes, India loses a two-wheeler rider on its roads. In 2022 alone, more than 46,000 lives were lost because helmets weren't worn. Behind each number is a grieving family, a dream cut short.

Against this grim backdrop, Alpana Parida, Founder and CEO of helmet brand TVARRA, has written an open letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, questioning why helmets-life-saving gear mandated by law-are taxed at the same 18% GST slab as luxury goods.

“A Helmet Is Not a Luxury”

Parida's letter pulls no punches.“A helmet is not a luxury. It is a law, a shield, a proven lifesaver that cuts fatal risk by 70%. And yet, it carries an 18% GST-the same as lifestyle goods and non-essentials,” she wrote.

For many middle-class commuters, especially in small towns and villages, this extra cost makes protective gear harder to afford.“For a family where every rupee counts, an 18% tax on safety is a penalty they shouldn't have to bear,” she argued.

The Appeal: Bring GST Down to 0–5%

The letter urges the government to drop GST on helmets to either 0% or 5%. According to Parida, such a move would:

• Make helmets affordable in every city, town, and village.
• Encourage wider adoption of safety gear.
• Save thousands of lives each year.

“Dropping GST on helmets will send a clear message: India values life over revenue,” she wrote.

A Collective Voice for Safer Roads

The appeal is not positioned as an industry demand alone. Parida described it as the voice of every family who has lost a loved one to road accidents. She urged citizens to make this a collective movement-sharing, reposting, and tagging authorities so that the government hears the call.

“This is not just about business. It's about mothers, fathers, children who never came home. One change can save thousands of lives,” the letter concluded.

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