Big new change: Govt to take strict action to scrap 15-year old cars: Here’s your plan of action
Ahead of the Winter seasons, when air pollution levels traditionally skyrocket in the capital, the government will start a fresh crackdown on vehicles that breach the age barrier. Here’s what you can do if yours is an old diesel car.
As the leaves turn colour, a familiar grey hue begins to descend on the Nation’s capital, the annual winter choke months are here. As is usually the case, the government is struggling to battle rising pollution levels, with all the tools at their disposal from the odd-even rule to the scrappage of older diesel cars that exceed the 15 year age limit. Reports now suggest that a crackdown on cars that exceed the age limit has already begun with local authorities instructed to seize vehicles that breach the age limit. Once seized, the vehicles will not be returned to their owners but will be handed over to government-appointed vehicles scrappers under the recently released “Delhi Scrapping of Vehicles Rule,2018” notification last month.
This comes just ahead of the beginning of the winter months in New Delhi, where, air pollution levels in the Capital regularly breach basic safety levels. Through this drive, not only the New Delhi Police but also local Municipal authorities will be making moves to remove these vehicles from the road, these will range from fines and penalties to outright seizures. In fact, a report alleges that since January 2016 a total of 2 lakh vehicles that were registered in the capital have been delisted. If found plying or even parked in a public place, these vehicles can be seized and scrapped as per the new policy.
If your diesel vehicle is approaching or past the 15-year, scrappage would possibly be the best thing for you considering the environmental benefits. This, especially, considering that as per the new policy, not only does the environment benefits, but the owner of the vehicle also gets the fair value of the vehicle being scrapped. For vintage diesel owners’, the preferred modus would be to register their vehicles under the MV Act,1989’s exception under Section 59’s Rule 92 (2)(c) for antique or vintage vehicles. While this will take a special appeal to the DMV, this is one of the ways of securing the fate of your old diesel car.
Another, way to perhaps squeeze a little more value the sale of your old diesel, would be to sell it out of state just ahead of the 15-year mark. If the cars are still legal in the state of sale then one could get slightly more value out of your car.
However, this push for lower emission pollution ahead of Delhi’s toxic winter months, will not just extend to vehicles that exceed the age limit. Authorities have also been instructed to intensify PUC checks at outposts and impose heavy fines on offenders. According to reports, Delhi has a total of over 1 crore vehicles out of which about 3.7 lakh vehicles exceed the 15-year limit.