Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari stated in Parliament that the Ministry is introducing a voluntary vehicle fleet modernisation programme aimed at creating an ecosystem to phase out unfit and polluting vehicles – which includes use of automated fitness centres to find out whether a vehicle is fit enough to be road-worthy.
“It is proposed that private vehicles be de-registered after 20 years if found unfit or in case of failure to renew registration certificate. As a disincentive measure, increased re-registration fees will be applicable for private vehicles 15 years onward from the date of initial registration. It is being proposed that all government vehicles may be de-registered and scrapped after 15 years from date of registration,” said Gadkari.
The criteria, decided on the basis of practices in Germany, the UK, the US and Japan, will take into account emission tests, braking and safety equipment, among many other tests. A vehicle failing the fitness test may be declared as end-of-life vehicle.
“It is being proposed that commercial vehicles be deregistered after 15 years in case of failure to get fitness certificate. As a disincentive, increased fees for fitness certificate and fitness test may be introduced for commercial vehicles after 15 years,” stated the Minister.
India has 51 lakh light motor vehicles (LMVs) that are older than 20 years and 34 lakh light motor vehicles that are older than 15 years. Around 17 lakh medium and heavy commercial vehicles are older than 15 years without valid fitness certificate. Older vehicles pollute the environment 10-12 times more than fit vehicles and pose a risk to road safety, he added.
In a related move, the Road Ministry has proposed increasing the registration charges for vehicles that are over 15 years, with effect from October 1 this year. The draft notification, dated March 15 and published on March 16, has invited comments within a month.
For renewing a fitness certificate, the charges will be Rs 1,000 for motor cycles, Rs 3,500 for three-wheeler or quadri-cycle, Rs 7,500 for light motor vehicle, Rs 10,000 for medium goods or passenger motor vehicle and Rs 12,000 for heavy goods or passenger motor vehicles.
To conduct a test of vehicle for grant and renewal of over 15 year vehicles, the charges vary on the basis of type of vehicle and whether the test is manual or automatic. So, for a two-wheeler, the test charges will be Rs 400 (manual test) and Rs 500 (automatic test); for three-wheeler or light motor vehicle or quadricycle, the test charges will be Rs 800 (manual) and Rs 1,000 (automated) and so on