Delhi — The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) has resumed its rigorous enforcement campaign against end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), which began on October 11, 2024. Since then, the Transport Department has impounded 2,445 vehicles as part of an ongoing effort to remove aging and polluting vehicles from the roads.
The initiative is in line with India’s broader vehicle scrappage policy, which seeks to phase out older, unfit vehicles through a system of incentives and disincentives. In particular, vehicles that are more than 10 years old for diesel models and 15 years old for petrol models in the National Capital Region (NCR) are targeted under the policy, as stipulated by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Under the vehicle scrappage framework, the Ministry of Steel has set guidelines for determining the reserve price of government vehicles up for auction. These guidelines, first circulated in January 2023, also apply to all states and union territories. Meanwhile, private-sector-run Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs), which operate independently, determine the price of vehicles based on market conditions and their condition.
Incentives for citizens participating in the scrappage process include exemptions from registration fees for vehicles that submit a ‘Certificate of Deposit,’ and concessions on motor vehicle taxes. These benefits extend for up to 15 years for non-transport vehicles and up to 8 years for transport vehicles.
Additionally, the policy mandates the environmentally sound disposal of hazardous vehicle parts, as outlined by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and other environmental guidelines. This is aimed at ensuring the proper de-pollution, dismantling, and recycling of vehicles to recover valuable materials and reduce pollution.
The government has also introduced the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme, with a budget of ₹10,900 crore, to incentivize the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and related infrastructure development. This scheme is expected to boost the country’s EV ecosystem from October 2024 through March 2026.
Furthermore, recent regulatory updates have expanded retrofitment options, allowing vehicles to switch to CNG or electric power through official procedures. The government’s Vehicle Scrapping Policy is supported by regulations under the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, as well as the Central Motor Vehicles Rules of 1989, with state and union territory governments responsible for the policy’s enforcement.
Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, confirmed the policy’s continued progress in a recent written reply in the Lok Sabha.
