Ban on old petrol, diesel vehicles still in force in Delhi-NCR: Official

Any registered diesel vehicle over 10 years old, and petrol vehicles over 15 years old cannot operate in NCR. Driving such vehicles in Delhi is illegal and they cannot even be parked in public spaces

NEW DELHI: The Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) has not issued any notification to allow diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in the national capital, Delhi transport commissioner Ashish Kundra said on Tuesday.

Over 5 million old vehicles werede-registered in Delhi between January 2022 and October 2022 (File Photo)

Kundra said it was not true that MoRTH has issued a notification to lift the bar on operating old vehicles. According to the rules laid down in various orders issued by the National Green Tribunal (2015) and the Supreme Court (2018), any registered diesel vehicle more than 10 years old, and petrol vehicles over 15 years old cannot operate in the national capital region (NCR).

“In fact, the transport department’s enforcement teams are running a drive in the city against overage vehicles and such vehicles are being seized,” the transport commissioner said.

Over 5 million old vehicles were de-registered in Delhi between January 2022 and October 2022 in the capital. About 3 million of these vehicles were petrol vehicles older than 15 years and the rest were diesel vehicles.

A transport department official said they had started receiving inquiries about the claimed change in rules on social media. Driving such vehicles in Delhi is illegal.

The union road transport ministry also sought to clarify the factual position on Monday in a string of posts on Twitter.

“A fake news is in circulation in social media claiming that MoRTH has issued a notification lifting ban imposed by Hon’ble NGT on vehicles (10 year old for diesel and 15 year old for petrol) in Delhi NCR,” the ministry said on Twitter. “It also claims that the RC of such vehicles can be renewed by a payment of ₹5,000. MoRTH wishes to clarify that the ban imposed by NGT, and upheld by the Supreme Court, is still in force,” the ministry said.