Cars older than 15 years may not be banned in Delhi

Appalled by the increase in the level of pollution in the Capital, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned all petrol and diesel vehicles over 15 years old from plying on roads in Delhi. But, that may probably not happen now. 

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, has through its affidavit, challenged NGT’s decision in the Supreme Court.  The Centre has deemed the idea of mandating age limit of private vehicles as a 'short-cut approach. 

The ministry also pointed out that this was the practice followed in the European countries where a fitness test is the measure to decide whether a vehicle should be allowed to ply or not. The ministry, however, in its affidavit stated that it may consider 15 years as the period for end of life for transport and commercial vehicles.

The Centre now intends to enforce stricter fitness tests for vehicles and has also proposed the reduction of fitness testing period. The ministry has recommended that fitness tests for private vehicles should be conducted once in five years for new vehicles and once in two-three years after the vehicles crosses the 15-year mark.

The ministry through its affidavit further stated that the permanent solution to this problem lies in upgrading the emission norms, Bharat Stage from III to IV and IV to V, and not in fixing an age limit for vehicles.