Delhi cracks down on old diesel vehicles: Five options for your ageing car

The Delhi government recently de-registered more than one lakh vehicles which are 10 years or older and are powered by a diesel engine. The transport department here has warned of strict action against any such vehicle that is still found running on roads here and the penalty can involve either impounding the vehicle or sending it for scrapping.

It is estimated that there are around 87,000 passenger diesel cars in Delhi that are over 10 years old. The number increases significantly once other diesel vehicles like goods carriers, buses and tractors are included.

So the question then is what are your options if you have a diesel vehicle at home that is older than 10 years and you do not want to risk getting caught on the wrong side of the enforcement drive?

Here are three options for diesel cars in Delhi that are 10 years or older:

Send it for scrapping:

Vehicle scrappage policy has the potential of putting old polluting vehicles off roads to help environment as well as boost demand for new vehicles.

The central government is backing the vehicle scrappage policy to serve the dual purpose of putting old and polluting vehicles off roads while also stimulating demand for new or newer vehicles. While the exact details of incentives on offer to send an old vehicle to the scrapyard isn't entirely clear yet, some of the benefits to watch out for are discounts on new vehicles, zero registration fees for such purchases, scrap value of around five per cent on the old vehicle, apart from benefits announced by various states.

Sell it to buyers outside NCR:

A number of owners in Delhi are finding buyers outside of NCR for their old diesel vehicles. While there is no concrete data readily available, there are indications that buyers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh are mostly willing to make pre-owned diesel car purchases and drive these back to their respective states.

Retro-fitting with electric kit:

The Delhi transport department is reportedly in talks with manufacturers of electric kits in order to allow diesel vehicles to be retro-fitted with batteries. While there is a significant cost involved of taking this step - anywhere between ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh, the benefits are plenty as well. For one, you can still keep your favourite car and drive it too. Additionally, driving it now would be significantly cheaper and free of emissions.

Get no-objection certificate:

Owners can also contact the transport department to get no-objection certificates for their old diesel vehicles. While this does mean that he or she can retain and drive the said vehicle, the process itself may be rather cumbersome as the larger idea is to put a strict mechanism in place to ensure diesel vehicles do not pollute the environment. There may also be a high cost involved in getting such a certificate.

Keep it parked:

Then there is always the option of keeping a vehicle firmly parked and hoping it becomes a vintage in the years to come.