No automated testing stations or dismantling facilities
*UT fails to act on Union Govt’s framework
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 27: Even as the Government of India has already rolled out a comprehensive Vehicle Scrapping Policy aimed at curbing air pollution, improving fuel efficiency and ensuring road safety, the much-needed reform has failed to take off in Jammu and Kashmir even after two and a half years of its announcement. This is mainly due to the half-hearted approach of the concerned authorities.
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The National Vehicle Scrapping Policy, unveiled in 2021, lays down a clear roadmap for phasing out old, unfit and polluting vehicles through a combination of incentives and disincentives. To give legal backing, rules were notified under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, making it mandatory for States and Union Territories to frame and implement their own scrapping frameworks.
The policy emphasizes the creation of an ecosystem for responsible vehicle scrapping, involving the establishment of Automated Testing Stations (ATSs) to scientifically assess roadworthiness and Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs), where end-of-life vehicles can be dismantled in an environment-friendly manner.
Both these support mechanisms are considered vital not only for reducing emissions but also for boosting the automobile industry, generating jobs and giving vehicle owners direct financial incentives such as discounts on the purchase of new vehicles and waivers on registration fees and road taxes.
However, in sharp contrast to these objectives, Jammu and Kashmir has remained a laggard, with no progress either on framing its scrapping policy or on setting up the necessary infrastructure, although an announcement in this regard was made on March 13, 2023, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
“As a result, even those vehicle owners who voluntarily wish to phase out their vehicles after 15 years of use, despite it not being mandatory, are left with no facility to do so,” they said.
They further added, “Under existing rules in J&K, a private vehicle can continue to run for up to 25 years, subject to obtaining a fitness certificate after the initial 15-year period and subsequent renewals every five years thereafter. However, there are a large number of owners who prefer to dispose of their vehicles after 15 years, either due to high maintenance costs or safety concerns. In the absence of a scrapping policy, such owners have no option but to keep their vehicles parked, turning them into idle assets occupying valuable space”.
“Scrapping is not just about incentivizing new vehicle purchases; it is about cleaner air, safer roads and a healthier economy. Every day of delay means more toxic emissions and more unsafe vehicles on the roads,” environmentalists said.
“J&K’s inaction not only deprives vehicle owners of benefits but also blocks potential investments and job opportunities that would flow from establishing ATSs and RVSFs,” sources added. “The Vehicle Scrapping Policy can be a game-changer for J&K’s economy by stimulating demand for new vehicles, encouraging private investment in recycling plants and creating hundreds of jobs in both organized and unorganized sectors”, they further said. At the same time, it will make roads safer by removing accident-prone old vehicles.
When contacted, some officers of the Transport Department claimed that the process has been set into motion for adopting a Vehicle Scrapping Policy. “We had submitted the proposal, and certain queries were raised, which have now been answered. Hopefully, J&K UT will notify its Vehicle Scrapping Policy in the near future,” they said.
“Our Vehicle Scrapping Policy will be on the lines of the policy of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) but with lucrative incentives,” they added.
It is worthwhile to mention here that the Vehicle Scrapping Policy will make the scrappage industry organized, transparent and environment-friendly.
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