Delhi Government Plans Crackdown on Old Vehicles Amid Fuel Ban Lift

Delhi's Old Vehicle Regulations Under Review

Although the Delhi government has lifted the fuel ban on older vehicles, significant developments are still anticipated. Reports suggest that the government is preparing to impose stricter regulations on these vehicles soon. On Tuesday, Delhi's Environment Minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government intends to investigate the removal of expired vehicles that occurred during the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) administration.

Investigation into Old Vehicle Disposal

The minister stated that formal inquiries will be initiated due to allegations of improper procedures being followed in several cases. Sources indicate that numerous vehicle owners have lodged complaints about not receiving scrap value for their seized vehicles, despite government mandates requiring such compensation. The investigation will also explore whether some of these vehicles were illegally transported to other states. Sirsa emphasized that the entire disposal process will be scrutinized for potential lapses, mismanagement, and irregularities.

Vehicle Scrappage Policy 2021 in India

The Vehicle Scrappage Policy is a government-funded initiative aimed at phasing out old and unfit vehicles to introduce modern and new vehicles on Indian roads. The primary objective of this policy is to create an ecosystem for the gradual removal of unsuitable and polluting vehicles to achieve the country's carbon emission reduction targets. Starting April 1, 2023, fitness tests for heavy commercial vehicles (HCV) will only be conducted through Automated Testing Stations (ATS). For other types of commercial vehicles (CV) and private vehicles (PV), fitness tests will also commence through ATS on June 1, 2024. Vehicles over 15 and 20 years old that fail the fitness test will be scrapped and classified as End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV).