Delhi will have a tough time disposing off 40 lakh banned vehicles: Transport dept seeks NGT's help in scrapping old cars

The Transport Department of the Delhi Government is a worried lot. After the Supreme Court’s order on de-registering 10-year-old diesel cars and 15-year-old petrol cars, it is contemplating how to manage the disposal of 40 lakh old petrol and diesel cars which are registered in the state. According to official sources, the government is planning to petition the National Green Tribunal to suggest ways to dispose of these vehicles.

The Delhi Transport Department will also share a plan for the cars that have obtained no-objection-certificates from the Regional Transport Office and the cars that have been sold. The state government is desperately seeking clear instructions from the court on whether the scrapping of old cars will be the responsibility of the owner.

Representational image. AFP

At present, the Delhi Transport Department is taking action against 173 such cars that are outdated and is slapping Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 fines on cars without a pollution certificate. In the past one month, the number of cars that have been fined is about 21,000.

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In Ghaziabad, three acres of land is being explored for mass dumping of 10-year-old diesel cars and 15-years-old petrol cars. Up until last week, more than half a dozen old cars have been sealed in Ghaziabad and the number of sealed cars had reached to four in Noida.

According to the Delhi Transport Department’s data, in Ghaziabad, the number of private vehicles that have exceeded the deadline is 18,117 and the number of two wheelers is 98,272. In Noida, the number of four-wheelers which are more than 10 and 15 years old is 20,074 while the number of two wheelers is 28,159.

If the commercial cars are added to the mix, the total number of cars crossing these age limits is 1,23,195 in Ghaziabad and 53,680 in Noida. In Bulandshahr, the number of banned vehicles is 92,623 and in Hapur it is 1,329. According to the data, challans have been imposed on 176 cars in Ghaziabad, where the registration number of 142 has been terminated and 12,312 cars have been given no NOC and sent to the other districts or states.

Notice has also been issued to owners of the cars that have crossed the age limit in Noida that they need to inform the Transport Department within 3 months, else the registration certificates (RCs) will be cancelled and after 6 months the registration will be dismissed.

The Transport Department has also appealed to those who have destroyed their cars or have sent them out to other districts or territories to inform them so that the information regarding these vehicle’s registration along with correct address can be updated in the system.

AK Pandey, Noida’s Assistant Regional Transport Officer, said that the department is investigating the cars that are flouting the NGT order and has sealed four cars.

According to Pandey, registered vehicles that have crossed the age limit set by the court have gone off the road. They have either been destroyed or sold in other states. Therefore, mopeds, old scooters or jeeps or ambassadors are not seen on the roads. But, he explained that due to lack of information about NOCs or the destroyed cars, it is difficult to maintain proper records.

At present, the transport department has become strict in approving NOCs but the process of identifying and neatly disposing lakhs of cars remains difficult.