Delhi advises against plying decades-old petrol, diesel vehicles

The department clarified that registration certificates of all types of vehicles are valid for 15 years but diesel vehicles which are 10 years old cannot ply in Delhi.

Delhi government on Monday advised people not to ply petrol vehicles which are 15-year-old and diesel vehicles older than 10 years and asked them to get it scrapped at authorised centres.

There are at least 37 lakh end-of-life vehicles in Delhi, including two-wheelers out of one crore registered vehicles. (Arvind Yadav/ Hindustan Times)

“Owners of over 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles are advised not to ply these vehicles on the roads in Delhi/NCR and further advised to get such end of life vehicles scrapped through authorised scrappers of the transport department,” the notification said.

The department clarified that registration certificates of all types of vehicles are valid for 15 years but diesel vehicles which are 10 years old cannot ply in Delhi. It however said that no-objection certificates can be obtained for vehicles aged between 10 to 15 years for states where it is permissible to operate them. The Delhi government cited a Supreme Court order for impounding end-of-life diesel and petrol vehicles.

The Centre in its voluntary vehicle scrapping policy allowed plying of old vehicles in case they pass fitness tests. The policy provides for a fitness test after 20 years for vehicles used by individuals for personal purpose and commercial vehicles require it after the completion of 15 years. There are at least 37 lakh end-of-life vehicles in Delhi, including two-wheelers out of one crore registered vehicles.

Most of these vehicles ply on the roads causing pollution but authorities cannot take any tough action against these vehicles due to logistical issues of lack of adequate number of scrapping facilities and space for holding impounded vehicles.