[Sanidhya mukund]

Read in today’s Times of India that the Govt. is likely to reconsider the NGT ban on old cars in NCR! Yet another glimmer of hope, let’s hope something comes out of it this time. If you love your car and have parking space, may be worthwhile to hold on to it until the policy comes into play by 2023-2024.

However, what is highly confusing is the last line in the first image that seems to say that IF a car has valid registration from a state other than Delhi-NCR, then it can legally ply on the roads. But the thing is, my JH registered car has been stopped a lot of times, with the cops saying that they will seize it the next time (which is why it has been put under hibernation.)

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/81575114.cms

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/81569841.cms

[vredesbyrd]

Originally Posted by Sanidhya mukund

Govt. is likely to reconsider the NGT ban on old cars in NCR! Yet another glimmer of hope, let’s hope something comes out of it this time. If you love your car and have parking space, may be worthwhile to hold on to it until the policy comes into play by 2023-2024.

*Evil laughter in N57/OM642/P5AT*
Thank you for bringing this piece to light. It should have been like this from the start. Survival of the fittest (in pollution control). I see no reason in scrapping older cars which are not breaking any pollution/fitness barriers. Used car enthusiasts like me can still get an old german diesel (or a particular cute and chubby looking 3.2L Ford) and run it while it lasts. What's more? Buying an old used car is similar to recycling because for every old car bought, a new one is not moved off the shelf.

I remember an article here that pollution is not proportional to displacement so essentially, you can't predict unless you actually test it. I like the idea of the Govt. trying to challenge NGT. Govt. should not only reconsider NGT's ban, it should reconsider NGT itself. I saw NGT passing very light and casual laws on factories and brick chimneys. Yamuna is still full of scrap. There is still much to be done in terms of forestation. We need a more sensible green panel with clear goals.

I will willingly scrap my car if it's polluting but will not let anyone even touch it if its not doing damage.
I think it is the right time to lap up 530D's and E350CDI's (or V6 XF's for those who like horror movies) from NCR before the prices shoot up again.

Again, thank you for this warm and fuzzy news.

[Sanidhya mukund]

Originally Posted by vredesbyrd

*Evil laughter in N57/OM642/P5AT*

Again, thank you for this warm and fuzzy news.

Haha, this news was indeed a great feeling for people who own cars that became victims of this rule. However, its not a cause for celebration just yet, because;

1. They have just talked about the governments intention to reconsider this, and the possibility of something coming out of it seems a little remote to me.

2. Even if they decide to scrap this rule, it will only be by 2024. Just imagine the number of cars that will unnecessarily have to die between now and 2024!

But the biggest surprise was the line that said that cars registered outside Delhi NCR can legally be driven! I was under the belief that even if a car is registered at an RTO other than DL/HR10/HR26/HR51/UP14/UP16/UP18, and even if it has a valid RC, it CANNOT be driven in Delhi-NCR if it has hit the cutoff age. My JH registered car was stopped by a cop even when it had 4 years of validity remaining. Even PUC centres refused to issue me a PUC because of the cars age. They refused to even connect the checking equipment to my car.
I am planning to find out the truth by conducting an experiment. Theres a Traffic Police chowki nearby, I am planning to go there and show them this article to ask for clarifications. Fingers crossed.

[vredesbyrd]

Originally Posted by Sanidhya mukund

I am planning to find out the truth by conducting an experiment. Theres a Traffic Police chowki nearby, I am planning to go there and show them this article to ask for clarifications. Fingers crossed.

I wish you luck with this secret OP. I'd join too if I were there. So essentially my Hyderabad-registered 11 year old diesel Superb can ply on the roads of NCR.

Apparently I am facing PUC issues as well. Car RC is active in VAHAN and Telangana RTO but does not show up on whatever PUC issuing site UP is using. Scared and confused.

[Sanidhya mukund]

Originally Posted by vredesbyrd

I wish you luck with this secret OP. I'd join too if I were there. So essentially my Hyderabad-registered 11 year old diesel Superb can ply on the roads of NCR.

Apparently I am facing PUC issues as well. Car RC is active in VAHAN and Telangana RTO but does not show up on whatever PUC issuing site UP is using. Scared and confused.

Had a word with a traffic constable. He was pretty clear about what the rule is. Irrespective of where the car is registered, irrespective of the fact that it has a valid RC, if it is a 15 year old petrol car or a 10 year old diesel car, it can NOT ply on Delhi roads. Period. When I showed him the TOI news clipping, he said, “I don’t know all this. I’m just telling you the orders.” He further told me that PUC centres are also NOT allowed to issue certificates to such cars.
He was also kind enough to show me this video to clarify:

https://youtu.be/R8xB7o1tohI

So essentially, those lines written in TOI were most probably an error made by a misinformed writer.
For now, the ban remains applicable to all cars, irrespective of their place of registration.


Note to those who don’t speak Hindi:

In the video, a Delhi traffic police officer says that irrespective of the place of registration of a car, if it is a 10 year old diesel car or a 15 year old petrol car, then it will be seized and the owner will have to pay a fine of 15 thousand rupees. After this, the court will decide whether or not to release the car. If the car gets released (remote possibility), then the owner will be made to sign an affidavit that he/she will NOT bring the car on to Delhi roads ever again.

[Born 2 Be Wild]

Originally Posted by Sanidhya mukund

. When I showed him the TOI news clipping, he said, “I don’t know all this. I’m just telling you the orders.” He further told me that PUC centres are also NOT allowed to issue certificates to such cars.
He was also kind enough to show me this video to clarify: https://Youtu.be/R8xB7o1tohI

So essentially, those lines written in TOI were most probably an error made by a misinformed writer.
For now, the ban remains applicable to all cars, irrespective of their place of registration.


Note to those who don’t speak Hindi:

In the video, a Delhi traffic police officer says that irrespective of the place of registration of a car, if it is a 10 year old diesel car or a 15 year old petrol car, then it will be seized and the owner will have to pay a fine of 15 thousand rupees. After this, the court will decide whether or not to release the car. If the car gets released (remote possibility), then the owner will be made to sign an affidavit that he/she will NOT bring the car on to Delhi roads ever again.

People will believe what they see in the news domain sadly! However till the time law is laid down the standing orders follow. No matter what mumbo jumbo comes up in the media the rule for NCR remains unchanged as its been endorsed by the supreme court and the Central govt has a special leave petition on this as well pending in the SC. Point blank 10 year old diesel/ 15 year old petrol scrap it, sell it, throw it away as on date there isnt much else one can do

[GTO]

Thanks for sharing, Sanidhya Mukund! Moving your post to a new thread.

Personally, I doubt it will happen as the ban is more or less accepted as the new normal, the AQI in Delhi sucks and the authorities are very strict about it.

[IP_Man]

Private cars are always a soft target. Mr. Gadkari has realised, pollution control machinery of the government is a joke and banning is only easy option remains.

In 2003 when I was in Saudi, visual quality of the air was far far better than any city of India despite of larger number of old vehicles in Dammam city. This attributes to very clean and pure fuel available in Saudi.

So it is bad fuel quality and not age of the vehicle responsible for the pollution.

[stallmaster]

Originally Posted by IP_Man

This attributes to very clean and pure fuel available in Saudi.

So it is bad fuel quality and not age of the vehicle responsible for the pollution.

Does anyone know why do we have variation in fuel quality across India? Especially in diesel?

[SolidusSnake]

Title of the thread is misleading, govt cannot reconsider NGT ban, it can only appeal it in SC. Infact as far as I recall in 2018, SC had passed a similar order directing than more than 10 years old diesel and 15 years old petrol vehicles be impounded. There are reports that govt will seek legal opinion to approach SC on the issue, but it no way can take decision on its own as it has no power to do so. Thread title may be changed to GOVT may approach SC for review of its order.

[mayankk]

As someone mentioned, could this be just to keep the matter on the boil to allow governments to collect 15 years of road tax?

[Guna]

What did they wait for this long? Any decision imposed by the court should be reviewed by an expert panel, debated and if found to be not in the interest of the country they should be challenged.

[pkk077]

I was watching some video where the reasoning behind the NGT ban was roughly like that NGT found out in its testing that diesel cars generated 40 times more pollution than petrol cars which in turn were 2 times as polluting as CNG vehicles. The video makers also said that these numbers seem very old and with CRD technology, even diesels are much cleaner now.

In view of this, I don't think there is much hope for pre-BS6 cars in Delhi-NCR against the NGT rule. However, one thing which I hope is still considered is making the rule same for all new i.e., BS6 cars at least. If the govt. challenge leads to NGT reconsidering it's obsolete pollution data, it's a glimmer of hope.

[Born 2 Be Wild]

For everyones knowledge, the central govt had already filed a review petition in the supreme court in august 2019 against the supreme courts order banning 10yr old diesel vehicles. The petition will rot there for a few more years and will then be thrown out, in the meantime govt will happily keep collecting tax for 15 year period.

https://https://www.latestlaws.com/latest-news/appeal-against-ban-on-old-diesel-vehicles/

So all this hoopala in the media is just to keep people running in circles. Under no circumstance will the supreme court over rule their own decision on the 10year ban.

[prateekchanana]

Originally Posted by GTO

Thanks for sharing, Sanidhya Mukund! Moving your post to a new thread.

Personally, I doubt it will happen as the ban is more or less accepted as the new normal, the AQI in Delhi sucks and the authorities are very strict about it.

Couldn't agree more. While buying a new car, the dealers tell 15 years life of petrol cars in list of advantages over buying their diesel counterpart with 10 years life. Even if you don't plan to keep a car that long, selling 8-9 years old car is impossible in Delhi and you have to sell it outside with people always getting a good margin knowing the Delhi folks don't have much of an option..

The rule though is not very strictly enforced as I know a couple of people using 13-14 year old 5 series and E class and they have never been stopped till date, however I personally find this move stupid and too risky.