Ban on old cars not applicable on vintage cars: NGT

National Green Tribunal (NGT) announced the ban on all 15-year-old vehicles from the roads citing pollution. However, strong protests from enthusiasts and collectors have made a new development. NGT has permanently exempted the vintage and classic cars and bikes from the 15-year-old vehicle ban.

NGT had put a blanket ban on all kind of vehicles older than 15 years. The new exemption allows classic and vintage cars that are registered for exhibitions, rallies and maintenance will be permanently exempted from the blanket ban. The decision has been welcomed by such car owners and enthusiasts.

The tribunal referred to the Rule 92 (2)(c) of Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 and Section 59 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to grant an exemption to “antique/vintage” vehicles. NGT chairperson, Justice Swtanter Kumar headed the bench and said that the vintage cars that satisfy the prescribed norms of classic and vintage vehicles.

Heritage Motoring Club of India filed the plea to allow vintage and classic cars to run on the roads with senior advocate KTS Tulsi acting as president of the club. NGT proposed the ban in 2014 and all such vintage and classic vehicle owners had to take special permission from NGT to ply on the roads. The Green Court has also said that the owners of such vehicles will have to take up corporate social responsibility and make a contribution towards the environment by planting more trees and providing dustbins, which may be helpful to improve the ambient air quality of the city.

India has over 10,000 vintage vehicles manufactured between 1886 and 1987. The Delhi-NCR alone has about 1,200 vintage vehicles. The new ruling will come as a relief to the vintage car owners and collectors. The ban was imposed due to the rising level of pollution in the region.