According to a notification by MoRTH (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways), all government vehicles older than 15 years will be scrapped. This includes vehicles owned by both the central and state governments. All categories of vehicles, like buses, cars etc., are to be scrapped if their age is more than 15 years. That said, the notification exempts special purpose vehicles like armoured vehicles for the purpose of defence or maintaining law and order.
Disposal of 15-year-old vehicles
The same notification also states that the disposal of such vehicles shall happen only through the Registered Vehicles Scrapping Facility set up as per the rules. The Motor Vehicles (Registration and Functions of Vehicle Scrapping Facility) Rules, 2021, mention these rules in detail.
Further, the rules also state that personal vehicles require fitness after 20 years, while commercial vehicles require it after 15 years. The Minister had announced the same in the Union Budget of 2021-2022.
Remuneration for Scrapping vehicles
Under this new policy, effective from 1 April 2022, States and Union Territories can offer up to 25 percent tax rebate of the road tax for vehicles purchased after scrapping old ones.
According to Union Minster Mr Nitin Gadkari, the aim is to establish a scrappage centre every 150 km from a city centre. This will also make India one of the scrappage hubs in the South Asian region.
Aim of the National Scrappage Policy
The Government launched the National Vehicle Scrappage Policy of 2021, intending to phase out unfit and polluting vehicles and, at the same time, promote the economy by introducing scrappage centres.
15-year ban in Delhi NCR Region
There is already a ban on petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than ten years. Further, there was news of the local Government banning BS4 diesels due to rising pollution in the region. DTD (Delhi Transport Department) is already sending old diesel cars directly to the scrap yard. DTD has already conducted multiple drives to this extent. The campaigns identify vehicles more than 15 years of age. The Government aims to encourage vehicle owners to scrap their old cars. Under the current scrappage policy, diesel vehicles older than ten and petrol vehicles older than 15 years are supposed to see the scrapyard. But for the current drive, DTD targets only diesel vehicles over the age of 15 years.
Also Read – Diesel cars older than 15 years will be sent to scrap yard.
