Transport ministry raises renewal charges for old vehicles to discourage use

Fees for light vehicles rise to ₹15,000, while heavy trucks and buses will pay ₹25,000. Earlier, renewal charges were also raised for older vehicles.

Months after the government increased renewal charges for older vehicles, the transport ministry has raised the fitness test fee for all motor vehicles older than 20 years to discourage people from keeping them.

In August, the Supreme Court ordered authorities not to take coercive action against the owners of diesel vehicles that are more than 10 years old and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in the Delhi-NCR. (Sunil Ghosh/Hindustan Times)

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), in a latest notification issued on November 11, said the higher fee slabs now begin at 10 years for commercial vehicles, instead of 15 years, bringing more vehicles under the updated cost brackets.

It has created three clear age groups for fitness testing: 10-15 years, 15-20 years and above 20 years.

According to the notification, the fitness test fee for light motor vehicles (LMVs) older than 20 years has been increased to ₹15,000 from ₹10,000.

The notification has made steep revisions to the fitness test fee for heavy trucks and buses older than 20 years. They will now have to pay ₹25,000 for the fitness test, from ₹3,500 earlier.

Medium commercial vehicles in the same age group will now have to pay ₹20,000, and the fitness test of light motor vehicles above 20 years will cost ₹15,000.

The fitness test fee for two-wheelers above 20 years has also been increased to ₹2,000 from ₹600 earlier.

The transport ministry, in its earlier notification in August this year, increased renewal charges for older vehicles.

In August, the Supreme Court ordered authorities not to take coercive action against the owners of diesel vehicles that are more than 10 years old and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in the Delhi-NCR.