In SC’s footsteps Ghaziabad bans new diesel vehicles

The Ghaziabad transport department has decided to ban the registration of new diesel vehicles, which includes luxury cars and SUVs, with an engine displacement of 2000cc and above.

The regional transport department at Ghaziabad has decided to ban the registration of new diesel vehicles, which includes luxury cars and SUVs, with an engine displacement of 2000cc and above. The ban is to last from December 21 to March 31. The move comes after a recent Supreme Court order on the same and also after a decision taken at a meeting of the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) held in Delhi on Saturday.

The ban will be effective in Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Meerut and Baghpat districts of UP. (Burhaan Kinu/HT photo)

The ban will be effective in Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur, and Bulandshahr districts, which fall under the Ghaziabad region. The other two districts in the state to where the ban will be in force are Meerut and Baghpat. These six districts of Uttar Pradesh fall under the National Capital Region (NCR).

After the decision was taken, the transport department at Ghaziabad remained opened on Sunday in order to get last-minute sales registered before the ban comes into effect on Monday.

“The move is likely to cost us in terms of revenue. It is estimated that the region will lose nearly `8 crore per month on account of non-registration of such vehicles,” said Mayank Jyoti, regional transport officer, Ghaziabad region.

As per the latest figures from the department, the city has nearly 27,282 registered vehicles (2000cc and above). Out of these, nearly 25,840 run on diesel and 284 on petrol.

“The move will definitely affect sales across NCR. We sell pan-NCR and will have to seek more clarity on our sales area now,” said a manager from a vehicle showroom at Meerut Road Industrial Area in Ghaziabad.

To reduce vehicular pollution in Delhi, the Supreme Court had on December 16 banned the registration of diesel vehicles with an engine displacement of 2000 cc and above in NCR until March 31. However, it allowed existing diesel-run private vehicles to run during the ban period.

The registration of such vehicles, most of which run on diesel, is on the rise in the city. It registered nearly 3,335, 3,514, and another 4,013 such vehicles in 2013, 2014 and 2015 (till December 20), respectively.

“Most vehicles in this segment are owned by high-end buyers who purchase SUVs and luxury cars. These are popular as wedding gifts and are even growing in popularity in rural areas among people with increased expenditure capacity,” said an official.