Delhi govt impounds over 2,200 overage vehicles to combat air pollution

The Delhi Transport Department has impounded 2,234 vehicles exceeding age limits between October 1 and November 15 as part of an ongoing campaign to combat air pollution in the capital.

Initiated last month, the drive targets improving Delhi’s air quality by enforcing restrictions on overage vehicles.

Official data reveals that the impounded vehicles include 260 diesel four-wheelers over 10 years old, along with 1,156 petrol two-wheelers and 818 petrol three- and four-wheelers older than 15 years.

Scheduled to continue until December, the campaign is part of a larger strategy to enforce environmental regulations and curb vehicular emissions.

As part of the initiative, the department has introduced an online portal to simplify the scrapping, retrieval, or sale of seized vehicles. The platform offers a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to help vehicle owners manage end-of-life vehicles.

Additionally, Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) have been instructed to strictly follow the 2024 guidelines for handling such vehicles, in compliance with a Delhi High Court order. Officials have warned that non-compliance could result in removal from the program.

This enforcement aligns with a 2018 Supreme Court ruling banning diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi. A 2014 National Green Tribunal (NGT) order also prohibits parking vehicles over 15 years old in public areas.

Also Read: Crackdown on old vehicles: Over 5,000 automobiles seized to curb pollution

According to an October 10 public notice from the Transport Department, over 55 lakh overage vehicles have been de-registered in the city.

To ensure effective implementation, traffic police have been directed to deploy four teams per municipal zone in coordination with the department’s enforcement wing.

(With inputs from PTI)