The Delhi government has allowed diesel cars older than ten years for use after a modification. Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot has announced the possibility of reusing old diesel vehicles with electric kits. As per the NGT and Supreme Court’s order, Delhi’s 38 lakhs over-aged vehicles cannot technically ply on the roads. About 35 lakh vehicles, of these 38 lakh vehicles, are petrol variants vehicles, and around 3 lakh diesel vehicles are older than ten years.
The Transport Department has contacted manufacturers to install electric kits in internal combustion engine-operated cars so that these vehicles can be made electric. Once retrofitted, old diesel vehicles can run for the next ten years. This decision offers a substantial relief to the ten-year-old diesel vehicle owners in Delhi.
Currently, any registered petrol vehicle over 15 years old and diesel vehicle over ten years old cannot operate in the National Capital Region, under orders issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2015 and by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Electric Light Commercial Vehicles (L5N & N1) have also been permitted entry on about 250 roads, during no-entry hours, by the Delhi state government to accelerate the adoption of EVs.
EV sales have increased by 95% since the Delhi Govt launched the EV policy.
Summary – The Delhi government has recently taken some major decisions to control environmental pollution caused by vehicles. Delhi has about 38 lakhs over-aged vehicles that technically are ineligible to ply on the roads, as per the NGT and Supreme Court’s order. Three lakh vehicles of these 38 lakh vehicles are petrol variants. Hence, about three lakh diesel vehicles more than ten years old will get used for another ten years with electric kits. Additionally, to boost the adoption of EVs, Electric Light Commercial Vehicles (L5N & N1) have also been exempted from any prohibition from plying & idle parking on identified roads during ‘No Entry’ Hours. Thus, it will lead to cleaner air, less pollution and will also lead to EV adoption in a big way.