Government to empanel scrap dealers as Delhi struggles to get rid of old cars

On October 30, following a Supreme Court order banning 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles on Delhi’s roads, the state government, through a series of advertisements and notices, warned the public that old vehicles couldn’t even be left parked.

The Delhi government’s move to impound old vehicles has left many confused: it has not listed any authorised scrap dealer whom owners can approach to dispose these vehicles. Without an avenue to dispose their vehicles, owners of around 3.8 million vehicles run the risk of having their vehicles impounded, apart from paying a penalty and being prosecuted.

Trading in used old cars in banned in Delhi. (Parveen Kumar / HT File)

On October 30, following a Supreme Court order banning 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles on Delhi’s roads, the state government, through a series of advertisements and notices, warned the public that old vehicles couldn’t even be left parked.

Soon after he read the advertisement, Sarita Vihar resident Sandeep Sikdar decided to comply with the order and dispose his 11-year-old diesel car.

“I read the notice in a newspaper and decided to scrap it. I looked all over the Delhi government and its transport department’s websites for an authorised scrap dealer, but found none,” said Sikdar.

Worried about government action, Sikdar thought of selling his car to one of the hundreds of scrap dealers in areas such as West Delhi’s Mayapuri.

“But I was concerned about where the car would end up. If I am complying with the law, I do not want my vehicle to end up in the illegal market. The whole purpose will be defeated then,” Sikdar said.

His car is now parked outside his house.

Within a week after the Delhi government’s notice, AK Shrivastav took his SUV, bought in the year 2007, out of the national Capital.

“I left the car in my ancestral home in Lucknow,” he said. “I have been trying to sell it as a second-hand car as it is in good condition, but to no avail. I could not find the list of districts in neighbouring states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar which allow selling of old Delhi registered vehicles.”

The Delhi government is aware of the confusion and is likely to bring out a list of authorised dealers for such vehicles.

“Our offices too are flooded with queries from people wanting to do away with their old vehicles. So, soon we will be issuing licenses to about three vendors who will be authorised to take end-of-life vehicles from owners. State-run MSTC Limited will also be one of the authorised dealers,” said a senior transport official.

Trading these cars as second-hand vehicles too is banned in the national Capital. At present, RTOs in Delhi are issuing no-objection certificates (NOCs) only for diesel vehicles between 10 and 15 years old for sale outside the national Capital. The government says it is yet to get clarity from the court on whether NOCs should also be given to petrol vehicles older than 15 years.

“We are also building a website through which people will be able to check the money they could get for scrapping their vehicles. On the same site, a person will also be able to apply for the process online for a hassle free experience,” another official said.