Vintage cars get NGT green signal for rallies and exhibition

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said that vintage cars that satisfy prescribed norms under the Motor Vehicles Act would be allowed to run on Delhi’s roads.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday allowed vintage cars to ply on the roads for rallies and exhibitions in Delhi, with a few riders.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday allowed vintage cars to ply on the roads for rallies and exhibitions in Delhi, with a few riders. (Sonu Mehta/HT PHOTO)

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said that vintage cars that satisfy prescribed norms under the Motor Vehicles Act would be allowed to run on Delhi’s roads.

Granting relief to the vintage cars, the green court referred to Rule 92 (2)(c) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 and Section 59 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which grants exemption to “antique or vintage” vehicles.

“We direct that antique cars that satisfy prescribed norms under the Motor Vehicles Act would be allowed to ply on the road for exhibitions, rallies and maintenance and will not be allowed otherwise.

“We observe that the applicant association as part of their corporate social responsibility would make contribution towards the environment by planting trees and providing dustbins, which would help in improving the ambient air quality of Delhi,” the bench also comprising Justice UD Salvi, said.

Advocate KTS Tulsi, who represented the Heritage Motoring Club of India, told Hindustan Times, “The tribunal passed the order allowing the antique or vintage cars to be registered under the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act and Rules subject to the condition that these would be permitted to ply on the roads for the purpose of exhibitions, rallies and maintenance. These, however, would not be allowed to be regularly driven on roads,”

“All vehicles, diesel or petrol which are more than 15 years old, shall not be permitted to ply on the roads and wherever such vehicles of this age are noticed, the authorities concerned shall take appropriate steps in accordance with law...,” the tribunal had said in its November 26, 2014 order.

Heritage Motoring Club of India vice-president Madan Mohan, who is also the organiser of the 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally, welcomed the order.

“We are very happy that the NGT has finally heard us and given its permission so that we can take out these cars for maintenance, rallies and exhibitions. This is our attempt to protect this heritage, which needs to be preserved at any cost, failing which these antique and vintage vehicles will extinct very soon. And this (order) is a great start. Later, we will move them (NGT) for permission to get out these vintage cars on the weekends,” Mohan said.