According to a notification by the Road Transport and Highways Ministry, all the government vehicles older than 15 years or which is 15 year old of both in the state and the centre, Union Territories, public sector or any organisation owned by the govt will have to be deregistered and scrapped from April 2023.

If the registration of such old vehicles was renewed before they attained the age of 15, such registration certificates will also automatically be deemed cancelled and they will have to retire after a lapse of 15 years from initial registration.

However, the rules will not be applicable for armoured/ defense and other specialised vehicles used for operational purposes like for the maintenance of law and order and internal security.

The vehicle scrapping should only be done through registered vehicle scrapping facilities as mandated in the policy

"Disposal of such vehicles shall, after the expiry of the fifteen years from the date of initial registration of the vehicle, (should) be ensured through the Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility set up in accordance with the Motor Vehicles (Registration and Functions of Vehicle Scrapping Facility) Rules, 2021," the notification said.

The draft notification of the policy was issued back in November, 2022 and was announced in the Union Budget 2021-22, the policy provides a 20 years fitness tests for personal vehicles, while the commercial ones will test it after 15 years.

The new policy which is stated to be effective from April1, 2022 states that States and Union Territories will have to provide up to 25 per cent tax rebate on road tax for vehicles that are purchased after scrapping old vehicles.

Last year, the Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, Nitin Gadkari said that his goal is to develop at least one automobile scrapping facility within 150 kilometres from each city centre.

The Union Minister said so while asserting that India has the potential to become a vehicle scrapping hub of the entire South Asian region.

The changes is essential keeping in mind the alarming issue of environmental pollution which causes climate change, threatens lives of rare species and also due to the rising or increase in number of vehicles these days and especially the rising of old vehicles which adds to the pollution level of India.

Reportedly, For vehicle cycling, India is extremely unorganised and majority of the vehicles are being routed through the informal sector which does not follow any Legal/ Environmental or Ethical norms as compared to the vehicles of the developed countries.

(Source-Mint)