Delhi Government Continues Campaign Against Older Vehicles, Deregisters Over 50 Lakh Units

• It’s illegal to drive a diesel car older than 10 years and petrol vehicle older than 15 years in the state. 

• The move is meant to phase out older vehicles that comply with outdated emission norms. 

• For owners, scrapping or selling for parts is the only recourse once the car is deregistered. 

• Deregistered vehicles can be impounded if found plying on the roads. 

In a move that leaves a bitter taste in any petrolhead’s mouth, the State Government of Delhi has deregistered over 53 lakh vehicles that had reached the end of their original registration. Of these, reportedly 50 lakh vehicles were delisted in 2022 itself. Backed by a ruling from the National Green Tribunal, the deregistration campaign renders the affected vehicles legally un-drivable on public roads throughout the country.  

Which vehicles have been de-registered in Delhi? 

Any private vehicle (car, bike or scooter) that was registered in the state of Delhi and has reached the end of its first registration period falls under the ambit of the government's deregistration campaign. This includes petrol (and CNG) vehicles at or over 15 years of age and diesel cars at ten years or more. 

Prior to the deregistration ruling, such vehicles could be re-registered in the same state after paying certain fees and road tax for the car. Now, older vehicle owners are left with three options: scrapping them, selling them in another state, or exchanging them at a dealership for a new vehicle. That said, once the car is deregistered, the owner can only scrap the vehicle or sell it for parts.  

With any of these methods, the ex-owners can get a residual value (and incentives for scrapping) of their vehicle. But there’s no denying that it’s a bigger financial hit than simply paying for re-registration and inspection. 

For now, it remains illegal to drive a petrol or diesel car older than the aforementioned ages even if they have another state's registration. 

Why is the government de-registering cars 

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The NGT ruling and Delhi Government’s decision for blanket deregistration have their roots in environmental reform. The city of New Delhi often ranks as one of the highest-polluted cities in the world, and the move is meant to eliminate highly polluting vehicles from the city’s roads. 

However, the move hits those private vehicle owners the worst who can’t afford to get a new car or bike every decade.

New rules for BS6 cars (but not in Delhi)

Revised BS6-emission norms that came into force in 2020 have made passenger cars significantly more environment-friendly. BS6 diesel and petrol cars offer identical 15-year timelines for the primary registration, after which it can be renewed by getting the vehicle inspected for fitness and paying the re-registration fees and road tax applicable. This renewal lasts for five years, after which the car can be renewed again following the same procedure, and so on. 

But the same rule isn’t applicable in Delhi, where the transport department still prohibits diesel cars older than 10 years to ply on the state’s roads. 

Also read: 

• 6 Airbags Mandate Postponed To October 2023 In India As Auto Industry Grapples With Supply Chain Issues

• Maruti Toyotsu MSTI Vehicle Scrapping Facility Experience

There’s no denying that pollution is a major problem for Delhi, and steps need to be taken to alleviate the issue. However, we hope to see other policy changes from the government in the near future that are aimed at reducing pollution from other sources, such as manufacturing and aviation.