Delhi’s transport department has deregistered more than 54 lakh overage vehicles, including autorickshaws, cabs and two-wheelers, till March 27, according to official data. Some of the deregistered vehicles include those registered as early as 1900 and 1901, the data showed.
In 2018, the Supreme Court banned diesel and petrol vehicles older than 10 and 15 years, respectively, in Delhi. It added that the vehicles plying in violation of the order would be impounded. A National Green Tribunal (NGT) order in 2014 bars vehicles older than 15 years to be parked in public places.
According to the data, the maximum number of vehicles were deregistered from South Delhi Part 1. A total of 9,285 three-wheelers and 25,167 cabs were struck off till March 27. As many as 2,90,127 vehicles have been de-registered from the Mall Road zone, 3,27,034 from IP depot, 9,99,999 from South Delhi Part 1, 1,69,784 from South Delhi Part 2, 7,06,921 from Janakpuri, 4,35,408 from Loni, 4,96,086 from Sarai Kale Khan, 2,99,788 from Mayur Vihar, 1,65,048 from Wazirpur, 3,04,677 from Dwarka, 25,167 from Burari, 1,95,626 from Raja Garden, and 6,56,201 from the Rohini zone.
The Transport department kicked off a drive on March 29 to send overage vehicles directly for scrapping. According to officials, they are picking up 100 vehicles a day. As part of the drive, the enforcement teams of the department carry out an intensive drive in a chosen area.
Transport Commissioner Ashish Kundra said, “Owners of overage vehicles are requested to get an NOC and sell their vehicles in a state where they are fit to ply. If the vehicles will be found plying or parked on city roads, they will run the risk of being bound down and handed over to the scrapper.”
The total number of vehicles on the roads of the national capital has decreased by 35.38 per cent since the city government banned plying of overage vehicles, according to the 2022-23 Economic Survey of Delhi. In 2021-22, total 79.18 lakh vehicles were recorded on Delhi roads.