NEW DELHI: If you have a diesel car that’s over 10 years old or a petrol vehicle older than 15 years, be prepared to shell out Rs 10,000 in fine or even have your vehicle impounded and scrapped.
The Delhi government’s transport department on Tuesday warned vehicle owners that if such ‘end of life vehicles’ are found plying on roads, appropriate penal action shall be taken.
Transport department officials said though no special drive is planned immediately, a public notice has been issued to inform vehicle owners that they should get such vehicles scrapped by the five scrappers authorised by the Delhi government.
Just 2,879 old vehicles scrapped in Delhi since 2018 court orderAs per the amended MV Act, plying of old vehicles can invite a fine of Rs. 10,000, which is compoundable to Rs 5,000. However, as per directions of the Supreme Court, such vehicles can be impounded and scrapped by the transport department.
The transport department had issued ‘guidelines for scrapping of motor vehicles in Delhi’ in 2018 and had also authorised the first scrapper. Although the number of authorised scrappers is now five, only 2,879 old vehicles have been scrapped till date, as per government data of up to May 31, 2021.
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“Though no special drive is planned at the moment, we want vehicle owners to get their vehicles scrapped following the guidelines and the public notice reiterates the point,” an official said, adding that of late, the number of vehicles getting scrapped has picked up. “Although there are more than one crore registered vehicles in Delhi, the actual number of vehicles ‘on road’ is around 70 lakh. The number of petrol vehicles that are older than 15 years is 35 lakh and there are around 3 lakh dieselrun vehicles that are older than 10 years,” he said.
The Supreme Court had on October 29, 2018 prohibited the plying of 15-year-old petrol and 10-year-old diesel vehicles in the national capital region and directed the transport department to announce such vehicles will be impounded if found plying. Describing the pollution situation in Delhi NCR as ‘very critical’, the apex court had also said that a list of such vehicles should be published on the website of the transport department.
Following the court’s directions, the transport department had published a comprehensive list of all 10-year-old diesel and 15-yearold petrol vehicles on its website. The department also started a drive to impound 15-year-old vehicles.
In her Budget speech for 2021-22,
Union Finance Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman had proposed a vehicle scrapping policy for 20-year-old private vehicles and 15-year-old commercial vehicles, under which keeping an old car would become very costly due to the higher cost of getting a fitness certificate.
“This policy won’t apply in the capital as there are already stringent rules against old vehicles in place to tackle air pollution,” the official said. Such vehicles, however, can be re-registered in designated districts in other states after getting an NOC from Delhi’s transport department.
“I have a 14-year-old Honda City, which is well-maintained and in perfect working condition. If such vehicles can clear stringent fitness tests, what is the harm in allowing these to be used?” said
Sumit Das (name changed on request), a south Delhi resident. “Also, I really don’t want to spend money on a new car in the middle of a pandemic but by next year, my petrol-run car can’t be used as per rules,” he said.