National Green Tribunal (NGT) has now announced that classic cars/vintage can ply the roads for specific events, wherein the ban on 15-year-old vehicles comes undone.
Antique cars satisfying prescribed norms under the Motor Vehicles Act can be on the for rallies, exhibitions and maintenance. Vintage car owner associationation swill need to contribute through tree plantation and by providing dustbins to help Delhi. Car owners will now petition to eb allowed to drive classic cars on weekends too.
Vehicles more than 15 years of age were banned in Delhi from November 2014. An announcement by National Green Tribunal in June 2016 directed RTO in Delhi to cancel registration of all diesel vehicles above 10 years.
The NGT had also asked Delhi’s RTO to submit a list of such deregistered vehicles to the Delhi Traffic Police so that suitable steps could be taken under provision of the Motor Vehicle Act.
Rising pollution levels in Delhi has caused some concerns with the NGT taking such stringent action. Going ahead with its April 2015 ruling, the NGT has pointed out the ill effects of diesel vehicle emissions on the environment as against that of petrol and compressed natural gas.
The tribunal had also stated that such old diesel vehicles coming into Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) from other states will be banned while the tribunal has even questioned the Centre on what action has been taken to promote hybrid vehicles and buses.
Over past 18 months, a host of announcements were made by both the NGT and Supreme Court over issues of air pollution in Delhi and NCR. The order issued by the Supreme Court banned registration of diesel vehicles with engine capacity above 2000cc while all diesel taxis plying in the region had to be converted to CNG.
The NGT has also clamped down on noise pollution and directed that no vehicles of any kind plying in Delhi will be allowed to use air pressure horns or horns other than that fitted by the car manufacturers.
