Government To Exempt Old Defence And Internal Security Vehicles From Scrappage Policy

Government vehicles used for special purposes — defence, internal security and maintenance of law and order — will be exempted from the policy of mandatory scrapping of central and state government owned vehicles which are older than 15 years.

The Road Transport Ministry has made these relaxations in the final notification of the vehicle scrappage policy, which kicks in from April this year. 

Sources said this exemption has been provided after deliberations with the concerned agencies. Any cut off date for retiring trucks and other vehicles owned by the Indian Army will not be a good move, they added.

It is being learnt that the Centre has refused to accept a similar proposal made by State Transport Corporations and State Road Transport Undertakings. 

As per the final notification, the mandatory scrapping policy will be applicable to more than 15 year old government vehicles, including the ones owned by municipal bodies and panchayats. 

Even if the old government vehicles have renewed their registration just before completing 15 years, they will still have to be scrapped.

So far, the government’s voluntary scrapping of old vehicles has received lukewarm response from private vehicle owners.