The much-awaited vehicle scrappage policy that has gone for a Cabinet approval is likely to see stringent registration and fitness norms for pre-2005 manufactured vehicles, according to sources.
As per estimates, there are about 2 crore pre-2005 built vehicles that are plying on Indian roads and the move is aimed at de-incentivising such vehicles in view of about 10 to 25 times higher pollution emission by them under the new emission norms.
Last week, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said that he had cleared a Cabinet note on the proposed policy and a decision is expected on it soon.
Indian vehicle market has grown exponentially. If old pollution norms are compared with new emission regulations, pre-2005 vehicles are polluting 10 to 25 times more under the new norms, sources said. Even if those old vehicles are maintained properly, they will be polluting more with more emissions and will prove to be a hazard for road safety.
“The proposed policy may see imposition of certain compliances like increased registration charges for private vehicles and increased fitness certification charges for transport vehicles... There may be provisions in the proposed policy to de-incentivise such vehicles,” the sources added.
Given the proposed stringent norms that include fitness certificate requirement every year for transport vehicles, a significant number of such vehicles will certainly opt for vehicle scrapping, they said.
Besides, the government is also planning for a mechanism for a safe disposal system for pollutants that include AC-CFC — a liquid refrigerant composed of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), that are found to emitting greenhouse gases which harms the ozone, according to the sources.
The policy may also contain mechanism to deflate airbags scientifically besides disposal of noble metals in the silencer and rubber etc parts in an eco-friendly manner.
“The oil ECT just can’t be thrown on earth. These should be disposed of scientifically,” the source said.
The policy, if finalised, may have provisions that on scrapping of old vehicles, buying new vehicles could be given concessions by dealers on the basis of certificates of vehicle scrapping, the sources said.
In two years time, the ministry is planning to create automated fitness regime in which no manual intervention would be required to check corruption.
Last week, Mr. Gadkari said: “I have signed the file for the cabinet note on the policy for the scrapping of old vehicles. The finance ministry has approved the note on it.”
He said the note will now be circulated to ministries concerned and the Cabinet was likely to take a call on it soon.
He had added that the proposed policy once approved will be applicable on all vehicles including two and three-wheelers.
Earlier, the policy had gone for a fresh round of consultation with the stakeholders on the direction of the PMO.
The minister had earlier said that once the policy is approved India could emerge as a hub for automobile manufacturing as key raw material available from scrapping like steel, aluminium and plastic are bound to be recycled, bringing down automobile prices by “20-30 per cent%”
