Following up on the order which was originally passed April 7, 2015, the NGT issued another order that directed the Delhi and NCR RTOs to deregister diesel vehicles that are 10 years or older with immediate effect.
Key Highlights
- These include diesel vehicles both in the private and public sectors
- Will also include domestic or imported cars that run on diesel fuel
- No formal scrappage scheme yet in the near future
Two years ago, the National Green Tribunal or NGT passed a resolution to ban all petrol and diesel cars that were 15 years or older to ply on the Delhi/NCR roads. The order sparked huge furore and outrage, especially from the classic and vintage car community that united to fight against the order through the courts. Although the order did change in favour of petrol powered cars, diesel cars came under even heavier scrutiny from the NGT and a second order banning any diesel vehicle that was 10 years or older from the Delhi/NCR street was brought forth.
Following up on that order which was originally passed April 7, 2015, the NGT issued another order that directed the Delhi and NCR RTOs to deregister diesel vehicles that are 10 years or older with immediate effect. Although the order seemed to be just on paper to begin with, we have received word that the Delhi RTOs have started the process to deregister these said cars. These include diesel vehicles both in the private and public sectors (including busses and trucks) that are older than the age limit and will also include domestic or imported cars if they run on diesel fuel.
Although many cities and countries in the world have adopted such laws in cities in order to reduce pollution and cut down on congestion, these countries have also brought in these changes gradually and not arbitrarily and without any warning like the NGT has managed to. The NGT has also not provided any solutions to deal with these de-registered cars and considering the fact that a formal scrappage scheme is not on the cards in the near future, there will be a growing number of cars that will be parked (illegally) on the streets of Delhi/NCR that cannot be officially used on the road.
Of course, owners of these cars can choose to sell them to out of state buyers but whether or not the Delhi/NCR RTOs will provide these cars with a no-objection certification (which is needed for an interstate transfer) is uncertain.
With the levels of pollution in cities like Delhi, a ban on old and polluting diesel vehicles might look like a good short term solution. That said, the authorities must ensure that it is not just the private vehicle owner that are affected by the rule but also the commercial vehicles that in reality, pollute a lot more. The government must also ensure a more mass market push towards real hybrid vehicles and electrification with an impetus towards building an ecosystem to support future electric mobility solutions.
