Top court overturns NGT ban on 3 diesel armoured cars meant for PM's security
- The three armoured vehicles are manufactured by French auto giant Renault. They have been in service since December 2014.
The Supreme Court has overturned the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ban on three diesel armoured cars announced in March this year. The armoured cars, manufactured by French auto giant Renault, were in operation with the Special Protection Group (SPG) who are responsible for the security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The NGT ban on these diesel cars were announced after they reached the 10-year deadline. The top court has extended their lifeline by allowing registration for another five years.
In March this year, the NGT had denied use of these three armoured diesel cars meant for PM's security saying they have been in service since December 2014. The NGT rejected SPG's plea to extend life of the specialised armoured vehicles often spotted among PM Modi's cavalcade during rallies. Banning renewal of registration, the NGT said these vehicles have BS-III certification which fails to comply with earlier orders by NGT and Supreme Court to ban all diesel cars in Delhi-NCR that are 10 years old from plying.
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Why Supreme Court overturned NGT ban on diesel cars?
On Monday (December 16), the Supreme Court granted extension of the three vehicles after a hearing on SPG's plea challenging the earlier NGT order. The top court took the decision citing importance of these vehicles. The top court agreed to the SPG's plea that the vehicles are 'essential and integral part of Special Protection Group technical logistics'.
The Supreme Court's decision is in contrary to the top court's 2018 ruling that banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years to ply on Delhi roads. The ruling was based on NGT's 2015 order which sought ban on such vehicles to reduce pollution in the national capital.
Countering the NGT ruling, the SPG had contested that the vehicles are still fit enough to be in service. It had said that none of the three armoured vehicles have run more than 15,000 kms in the last 10 years. All three vehicles, called Renault MD-5, were manufactured in 2013 and registered in Delhi on December 24, 2014.
Renault's armoured vehicles: What do they offer?
The Renault armoured specialised vehicles are powered by a 4.76 litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine. It is capable of churning out 215bhp of power and 800 Nm of peak torque. Despite its 11-tonne weight, the vehicle is capable of hitting a top speed of 110 kmph. The vehicle is capable to go off-road, carry payload of more than two tons and carry 10 people.
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