Pollution Over Age: A New Direction for Vehicle Scrappage Policy

The Indian government is rethinking its current vehicle scrappage policy, which mandates scrapping vehicles older than 15 years, aiming instead to base the criteria on pollution levels rather than age. Speaking at the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) annual convention, Anurag Jain, Secretary of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, called on the automobile industry to support scrappage efforts by implementing strict pollution controls and accurate fitness testing for vehicles.

Presently, this mandatory scrapping rule is enforced only in Delhi-NCR, where a 2018 Supreme Court ruling prohibits petrol vehicles over 15 years and diesel vehicles over 10 years from operating, leading to their automatic deregistration from the 'Vahan' database. Jain highlighted “When you bring a policy that makes it mandatory to scrap a 15-year-old vehicle, people have a question: if they have maintained their vehicle well, then why should their vehicle be scrapped? You cannot make it mandatory.”

Jain stressed the need for robust fitness tests to ensure vehicles meet pollution standards, urging the industry to help create a reliable pollution testing framework. “We have to ensure that pollution testing becomes something that is reliable. I would request all of you to help us design a pollution testing program,” he added.

Globally, vehicle fitness standards are stringent, including detailed checks on components like tyres, unlike India, where enforcement gaps have prompted judicial sanctions. While the government has sought revisions to these norms, the Supreme Court dismissed the plea, and a subsequent appeal remains under review.

Under current guidelines, commercial vehicles must pass a fitness test after 15 years and private vehicles after 20 years; those failing are deemed End-Of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) and qualify for scrapping at authorized centres. Owners can receive payment for the scrap and obtain a Certificate of Deposit (CD), which provides additional financial incentives.