The Himachal Pradesh government aims to remodel its vehicle fleet and reduce pollution by scrapping 15-year-old vehicles. They plan to set up 12 scrap centers across the state’s districts to carry out this initiative, starting in October.
Under the new policy, authorities banned the reuse of spare parts from scrapped vehicles. The government will maintain detailed records of each scrapped vehicle to ensure transparency and adherence to regulations. This aims to stop old vehicle parts from re-entering the market. It could otherwise compromise efforts to eliminate outdated and potentially dangerous vehicles from circulation on the roads.
DC Negi, Director of the Transport Department, clarified that the government will scrap vehicles older than 15 years from across the country. The state will cancel the Registration Certificates (RC) of these vehicles. The government is currently in the process of selecting firms to operate the scrap centers through a tender process.
The Transport Department recently held a workshop to notify prospective participants about the state’s scrap program. The workshop outlined the guidelines and requirements for establishing scrap centers to ensure applicants are well-equipped for the upcoming procedures. The department has received applications for establishing scrap centers. It is reviewing the submissions to determine which firms will manage these centers.
Purpose of the Initiative
The goal of this policy is to gradually eliminate older, hazardous, and more polluting vehicles from Himachal Pradesh’s roads. This effort will enhance both road safety and environmental well-being.
The government has introduced discounts on registering new cars to encourage people to scrap old vehicles. Under the new policy, owners who dispose of non-commercial vehicles will receive a 25 percent discount on their new vehicle’s registration fee. Furthermore, commercial vehicle owners can benefit from a discount of up to 50 percent on registration fees.
Moreover, establishing scrap centers plays a pivotal role in ensuring the effective and sustainable implementation of this policy. These centers will ensure that old vehicles are disposed of responsibly and replaced with newer, more environmentally friendly models.
The Himachal Pradesh government is confident that this initiative will reduce pollution and uphold higher road safety standards. Reusing components from old vehicles, often turned into scrap, poses a risk. Also, it raises safety and environmental concerns. By preventing the recycling of these parts, the government aims to ensure safer and more reliable vehicles on the roads.
The tendering process will draw considerable attention from companies eager to enter the vehicle scrapping sector. This move will likely benefit the local economy. With the policy set to commence in October, the government intends to monitor its implementation to guarantee its effectiveness. Additionally, keeping detailed records of scrapped vehicles will be vital in tracking progress and making necessary adjustments as needed.
