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

The Delhi Police have launched an aggressive crackdown, seizing over 5,000 old vehicles in a bid to curb pollution in the national capital. This move targets diesel and petrol cars older than 10 and 15 years, respectively. The operation, initiated on October 13 by the Transport Department and Traffic Police, will continue until December, reflecting the authorities’ determination to improve Delhi’s air quality.

Also read: Working without safety gear, manual scavengers stake their lives to earn a living in Delhi

How many old vehicles have been scrapped

As per data exclusively accessed by Patriot, 5,035 vehicles had been impounded as of November 7. Between October 1 and November 7, the Winter Action Plan crackdown led to the seizure of 4,286 vehicles. Similarly, the rising pollution levels in Delhi have also driven an increase in fines for vehicles operating without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. By November 7, a total of 3,19,045 challans had been issued, including 1,15,647 during the Winter Action Plan period.

Transport Department and police efforts this year mark a significant escalation compared to 2022 and 2023 when the number of impounded and fined vehicles was considerably lower. In 2022, 1,64,638 vehicles were fined for lacking PUC certificates, while 1,147 old vehicles were impounded. In 2023, the numbers rose to 2,32,885 PUC violations, with only 528 older vehicles impounded.

What has caused the increase

Officials attribute the spike in fines and vehicle seizures to a more robust, year-long crackdown. “It is because of the Winter Action Plan that we have succeeded in clamping down on as many vehicles as possible. We expect to seize even more vehicles by the end of December,” an official said.

Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic Department, Kape Kaming, highlighted the impact of coordinated enforcement efforts. “We began our crackdown in October as part of the Winter Action Plan. Prior to that, we conducted periodic checks on vehicles across the national capital. Now, we hold regular meetings with the Transport Department to strategise further. We are mostly tracing the older vehicles through the list of registered vehicles, while the PUC-flouting vehicles are mostly found in the traffic itself. This has had a massive effect on the pollution levels in the national capital,” he said.

How are PUC violations booked

Vehicles without a valid PUC certificate are instructed to renew it and are fined Rs 2,000. If black smoke is seen coming from the exhaust, an additional fine of Rs 10,000 is issued. Out of the total violators, 1,025 vehicles were subjected to this additional penalty, indicating a more stringent approach against the most polluting vehicles.

How are End of Life vehicles penalised

Older vehicles, classified as ‘end of life’ vehicles (ELVs), are impounded at various sites across the National Capital Region (NCR). These vehicles include e-rickshaws, two-wheelers, and cars. Upon seizure, owners must pay a penalty of Rs 10,000 for cars and Rs 5,000 for two-wheelers.

The Guidelines for Handling End of Life Vehicles in Public Places of Delhi, 2024, issued by the Delhi government on February 20, outlined a scrapping policy designed to phase out older, unfit polluting vehicles. The policy includes incentives and disincentives to create a sustainable system for phasing out over-aged vehicles, in accordance with the Motor Vehicle (Registration and Functions of Vehicle Scrapping Facility) Rules, 2021.

Where do these vehicles get scrapped

According to the Delhi Transport Department, five registered scrapping facilities handle end-of-life vehicles from Delhi. While their offices are registered in the capital, the actual scrapping yards are in neighbouring states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The largest facility, owned by Mahindra MSTC Recycling Pvt Ltd., covers 19,397.75 sq. meters in Greater Noida Extension, Uttar Pradesh. Other yards are located in Sonepat, Haryana, and in Sikandrabad and Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

Despite the 89.5% rise in impounded vehicles, authorities estimate that around 20 lakh end-of-life vehicles still ply Delhi’s streets. From January 1, 2023, to October 4, 2024, government agencies managed to impound 15,401 overaged vehicles.

Why should old vehicles be scrapped

Old vehicles contribute significantly to pollution and public health risks. In addition to emitting high levels of pollutants, unauthorised scrapping units operate without proper regulation, causing environmental damage. Abandoned ELVs can also become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, raising the risk of vector-borne diseases.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is also involved in removing ELVs, and has organised 26 teams and designated 12 Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) across its zones. “Due to limited manpower, we have requested the Traffic Police to deploy four teams to work with the Transport Department’s enforcement wing, supporting the drive and transferring vehicles to designated RVSFs for further processing,” an MCD official said.

RVSFs are required to follow strict guidelines, including managing logistics like cranes and other equipment, while enforcement teams issue seizure memos on-site to transfer vehicles to designated facilities.

Guidelines for scrapping vehicles

The Transport Department has also set timelines for scrapping different types of vehicles. Unregistered e-rickshaws are seized and crushed at the nearest impounding site before being sent to the relevant scrapyard. For registered e-rickshaws, the Delhi Maintenance and Management of Parking Places Rules, 2019, mandate a 90-day waiting period after the vehicle’s fitness certificate expires before impounding. This rule is enforced alongside the citywide ban on e-rickshaws on 236 roads.

For other vehicles, RVSFs must wait four weeks after issuing a release order. If unclaimed, the vehicle is scrapped. RVSFs are required to submit copies of the Certificate of Deposit, the Certificate of Vehicle Scrapping, and proof of payment to vehicle owners every two weeks. If owners do not collect their payment, the scrap value is deposited into the Transport Department’s treasury.

What do environmentalists say

Some environmentalists argue that the current scrapping policy focuses too heavily on vehicle age rather than maintenance and emissions standards, potentially resulting in unnecessary environmental costs. Diwan Singh, an environmentalist, explained: “I have seen perfectly fine cars over 10-12 years old sent to impound yards. These vehicles are scrapped because of their age, not emissions. If a vehicle is well-maintained, there is no reason it should be scrapped. The carbon footprint remains unchanged as manufacturing a new car also emits carbon.”

To address such concerns, the Delhi government recently introduced a tax rebate incentive for owners who scrap old petrol and diesel vehicles at authorised RVSFs. This rebate can be applied to the registration of a new vehicle.

Also read: Stuck in second gear: Only one of city’s 5 major railway stations is disabled-friendly

How construction and demolition waste affect the environment

The crackdown also targets construction and demolition (C&D) waste, another major contributor to Delhi’s pollution. By November 7, authorities had penalized offenders in 1,334 instances for transporting uncovered debris. The Winter Action Plan recorded 793 such cases.

In 2023 and 2022, the number of offenders penalised for C&D waste violations was significantly lower—779 and 405, respectively. However, penalties have not deterred some civic bodies from dumping hazardous debris near residential areas, as residents of East Delhi’s Geeta Colony report. They claim that the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has been consistently dumping debris on roads near their homes.

“The MCD has its lorries come here and dump concrete debris right here. They have been doing it for the past year, without any stop. People have stopped coming here because of the amount of dust that blows here. Moreover, it has become extremely hard to breathe here as well, because of the dust and stench that it produces,” said Dilip Sahni, a fishmonger.

Residents further noted that the rubble is cleared up by night, only for more debris to be dumped the next day. “They come back again the next day to dump their debris here,” he said.

Despite the hardships, some have found a way to support themselves. “I do not have any issue with the debris that they dump here. It is through the debris that I have been able to sustain myself and my family of five children, of whom one is a seven-year-old. Ever since my husband died, I have been salvaging waste from the debris whenever they come here to dump,” said Anul Bibi, a ragpicker.

However, their reliance on this debris comes at a concerning cost to their health.

In response to the rising pollution, the Delhi government has identified 13 pollution hotspots across the city, including Narela, Bawana, Mundka, Wazirpur, Rohini, RK Puram, Okhla, Jahangirpuri, Anand Vihar, Punjabi Bagh, Mayapuri, Moti Bagh, and Dwarka Sector-8.