DELHI TRANSPORT DEPT AUTHORISES SCRAPPERS TO FIX MARKET VALUE OF OLD VEHICLES

NEW DELHI: The Delhi transport department has authorised its empanelled scrappers to fix a “fair” market value for vehicles older than 15-years being impounded to scrap, officials said on Sunday.

Earlier this month, the department issued a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) for scrapping old vehicles.

Taking cognisance of the increasing vehicular pollution and poor air quality in Delhi, there is an urgent need for a standing order regarding scrapping and phasing out of end-oflife vehicles (ELVs) from the city roads, said the order issued by the transport department.

The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) direction for action against old vehicles will be applicable to all categories of vehicles, including two-wheelers, threewheelers, four-wheelers, light and heavy vehicles, irrespective of whether commercial or otherwise, the order said.

“The impounded vehicles will not generally be parked at any impounding pits of the transport department... the vehicle will be taken to the pit from where the scrapper will take it for scrapping.

“The authorised scrappers will make the fair market value of the scrapped vehicles and will directly pay the owner of vehicle,” the SOP says.

It added that the need of the hour is to maintain ambient air quality standards and tackle the rising air pollution caused by ELVs.

It has been decided that vehicles that are more than 15 years old will be removed first if found plying on Delhi roads.

The SOP says such vehicles will be impounded by the enforcement teams and handed over to an authorised scrapper of the transport department in accordance with the policy guidelines.