[Aditya]

The Government of India is planning to ban all trucks over 15 years of age from April 1, 2016. The step is being taken in an attempt to curb the rising levels of pollution in the county. According to a report by the World Health Organisation, 13 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India. New Delhi, the national capital stood first in the list.

An order banning the use of goods carriers more than 15 years of age is likely to be made public within 10 days. The ban can be brought into effect with an amendment in the Motor Vehicles Act and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules. Approximately 2.7 million registered trucks were plying on India's roads in the year 2000.

At present, the Central Motor Vehicles Rules allow a truck to ply on a national permit for a period of 15 years. After that, it can operate only with a state permit and is used for local transportation of goods only.

While industry players are will welcome the ban on 15 year old trucks, operators are not likely to be happy with it. Experts believe that along with the ban, a scrapping policy should be introduced as well.

Source: Business Standard

[libranof1987]

Good move!

I truly hope RTO and other road officials make sure this policy is implemented.

They should ideally extend this to all commercial vehicles; buses pollute just as much as the rickety trucks.

The article quotes a couple of people mentioning that kms run is a better estimate of health vs. age but hopefully they stick to age; we all know how easily people might manipulate the odometer!

Originally Posted by Aditya

Experts believe that along with the ban, a scrapping policy should be introduced as well.

+1

This might make it financially easier to replace older trucks as well.

[rbp]

The government can offer some subsidy for the old vehicles that will be scrapped, so that they can buy a new replacement.

[NPV]

While this is a good move, I expect heavy resistance (strikes very likely) from the goods transportation sector. Remember the earlier resistance from this sector to any diesel price hike ?
Fingers crossed, let's wait and watch how it pans out.

[volkman10]

No ban of vehicles planned, Govt Clarifies.

No immediate plan to ban trucks, buses above 15 years.

Government will soon frame an integrated policy to check pollution by over 10-year-old commercial vehicles (CVs) but there's no immediate plan to ban trucks and buses above 15 years

The policy will envisage scrapping of 10-year-old vehicles, which will be valued at 10-15 per cent of the original cost.

It will also consider tax exemption by government and discounts by manufacturer so that owner of old vehicle gets an overall benefit of up to Rs 2.5 lakh on a new purchase.

http://auto.economictimes.indiatimes...dkari/50041303

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Aditya

The Government of India is planning to ban all trucks over 15 years of age from April 1, 2016...

I do appreciate the govt's concern for the environment, but a better way would be to make the emission check and fitness check "rituals" stricter and meaningful. There are newer vehicles spewing out thick black smoke (case in point the infamous Tata-Marcopolo LPO1618c-RE AC buses used by BMTC Bangalore), clearly not meeting emission norms, while there are pristinely maintained and running oldies which would be meeting the latest emission norm in force now, if not anything that would be rolled out in the near future.

Sidekick:
This AL Hippo has been serving the KSEB (Kerala State Electricity Board) for over 40 years, it still can be seen hauling large transformers.



Source

[Pferdestarke]

Originally Posted by Aditya

The Government of India is planning to ban all trucks over 15 years of age from April 1, 2016. The step is being taken in an attempt to curb the rising levels of pollution in the county. According to a report by the World Health Organisation, 13 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India. New Delhi, the national capital stood first in the list.

A much needed move indeed!

Before taking such a plunge, the Government should get rid of their own decrepit vehicles. Many of the APSRTC buses I see are definitely inapt for road use, not to mention the gallons of smoke they emit.

I wish this move turns beneficial without any snags in the implementation.

[arunphilip]

Can we add a poll to this thread asking: "When will there be a nationwide transporters strike?", with options as:

• 1-Jan-2016
• 1-Feb-2016
• 1-Mar-2016
• 31-Mar-2016
• 1-Apr-2016

Because - honestly - that's going to be the only outcome of such an initiative. Speed regulators also went the same way.

PS - I know volkman10 has clarified that's no plans for a ban from April.

[GKMahajan]

I feel this is not a solution.

Unlike personal vehicles - which are mostly well maintained, and unlike taxis - which are to a reasonable extent well maintained, I find that almost all trucks that I see on the roads are exposed to 'breakdown maintenance' only!

I have absolutely no idea how this can be enforced! However, instead of scrapping fully functional, efficient, well maintained vehicles with the bad ones, I feel there should be some effort to ensure good maintenance.

For example, I have read somewhere that in Japan if a vehicle has a breakdown on the road, it's registration is immediately canceled! This ensures that all vehicles are well maintained. In case of a breakdown, the vehicle goes through a proper validation and re-registration process. I am not even sure if it is implementable in India! However, I feel something similar is better than taking all x+ year old vehicles of the road.

Take care. Drive safely.

Girish Mahajan