Delhi Cracks Down on Overage Vehicles to Combat Air Pollution

The Delhi Transport Department has impounded 2,234 overage vehicles from October 1 to November 15 as part of a campaign to improve air quality. The drive targets old diesel and petrol vehicles and includes a new online portal for processing seized vehicles. It supports stricter environmental enforcement in the capital.

The Delhi Transport Department has taken a significant step in combating air pollution by impounding 2,234 overage vehicles between October 1 and November 15. This initiative, launched in an effort to improve the capital's air quality, targets diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old.

This crackdown is part of a broader campaign that will continue until December, aiming to ensure adherence to environmental regulations and reduce vehicular emissions. The effort is supported by a newly launched online portal intended to assist in the scrapping, retrieval, or sale of impounded vehicles, making the process more streamlined for vehicle owners. A clear Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is provided to manage these overage vehicles efficiently.

Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) have been instructed to comply with 2024 guidelines for handling end-of-life vehicles. This follows a directive from the Delhi High Court, with warnings of possible exclusion from the program for non-compliance. Reinforcing the court's rulings, this drives forward a 2018 Supreme Court and 2014 National Green Tribunal order prohibiting old diesel and petrol vehicles and parking of vehicles over 15 years old in public places.

(With inputs from agencies.)