Delhi Diesel Ban: Tata Motors Appeals To The NGT

Home-grown automotive giant Tata Motors appealed to the NGT, seeking clarification whether there was a ban on the registration of medium or heavy commercial diesel vehicles pursuant to its two orders put forward earlier for Delhi-NCR.

On December 11 last year, the NGT had directed not to register any diesel vehicles which were more than 10 years old from the manufacturing date, till the next date of hearing. Following this, on January 6 this year, the NGT shared that since the matter of diesel vehicles ban was still pending in the Supreme Court, it would not pass any further directions regarding the same.

In its appeal to the NGT, Tata Motors shared that while the apex court's orders were concerned with private vehicles, Delhi's Transport Department has also banned registration of commercial vehicles. Tata Motors stated that its commercial vehicle business has taken a massive hit because prospective customers are unable to register medium or heavy vehicles. Additionally, the private vehicles business is also taking a hit as offerings such as the Safari Storme and Sumo come with a diesel motor with more than 2000cc under the hood.

This move is similar to that of the German car maker Mercedes-Benz. The manufacturer moved to the Supreme Court on Monday, August 8, with its plea to lift the ban on sale of diesel-powered vehicles with an engine capacity equal to or greater than 2000cc. Mercedes proposed that it is ready to pay 1 per cent of the ex-showroom price of every diesel car sold as environment cess. With these gutsy moves from the two potent car manufacturers, more automotive brands are likely to approach the Government with similar proposals to carve a way around the diesel ban in Delhi-NCR.