In an effort to tackle Delhi’s worsening air quality, the Transport Department has impounded 2,234 vehicles exceeding permissible age limits between October 1 and November 15. This initiative, launched last month, is part of a broader crackdown aimed at reducing vehicular emissions in the national capital.
The seized vehicles include 260 diesel-powered four-wheelers that are over 10 years old. Additionally, 1,156 petrol two-wheelers and 818 petrol three- and four-wheelers, all older than 15 years, have been removed from Delhi’s roads.
The campaign, which runs through December, is aligned with stricter enforcement of environmental regulations. To assist vehicle owners, the department has introduced an online portal designed to simplify the process of scrapping, retrieval, or sale of seized vehicles. The platform outlines a clear Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for managing these end-of-life vehicles.
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Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) have been instructed to strictly adhere to the 2024 guidelines mandated by the Delhi High Court. Non-compliance could result in their exclusion from the program, according to transport officials.
This drive builds on previous legal interventions, including a 2018 Supreme Court order prohibiting diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi. A National Green Tribunal (NGT) directive from 2014 further bans parking of vehicles over 15 years old in public spaces.
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Besides CNG and electric vehicles, only diesel vehicles under 10 years old and petrol vehicles under 15 years old are allowed to operate in Delhi. However, with the enforcement of GRAP Stage III on Friday and Stage IV following the worsening AQI, stricter restrictions are now in place.
BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles are banned in the capital. Diesel-operated medium goods vehicles with BS-III standards or below, registered in Delhi, are also prohibited unless transporting essential goods or services.
Diesel light commercial vehicles from outside Delhi are barred from entry unless carrying essential items. Similarly, inter-state buses from NCR states that fail to meet BS-VI diesel norms, excluding those with an All-India Tourist Permit, cannot enter the city. Violators will face penalties under Section 194(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, including fines of up to Rs 20,000. (Inputs from PTI)
