As the implementation of the National Green Tribunal’s order to ban over 10-year-old diesel vehicles in the city is likely to adversely affect the supply of essential goods and vegetables in the city, the Delhi government is planning to come up with a ‘Scrap Policy’. The proposed policy aims to provide tax relief and financial assistance to the transporters for buying new vehicles.
“We have directed our legal experts to draft a policy with a view to provide relief and rehabilitate the transporters who may be losing their livelihood due the order of the Green Tribunal. The policy will be presented before the NGT for its permission to phase out older vehicles in a phased manner,” said Satyendar Jain, Delhi Transport Minister after a high-level meeting with transport associations.
The meeting was attended by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, Jain and all the senior bureaucrats. “We want the pollution level to come down but we are also concerned about the issues raised by the transporters,” added Jain.
The government also promised the transporters to start issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to 10-year-plus old vehicles so that owners can sell them outside National Capital Region (NCR). In a recent order, NGT has banned 10-year-plus old vehicles in Delhi and NCR cities like Noida, Greater Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad and Ghaziabad.
“It needs huge investment in purchasing new vehicles so we have demanded the government to waive off VAT and registration charges for the transporters who are forced to sell off their 10-year-plus old vehicles and purchase new one,” said Pradeep Singhal, president, All India Transporters Welfare Association. The transporters have also demanded the government to set up a ‘logistics park’ outside NCR goods from other states can be downloaded and transported to Delhi in newer trucks. The transporters have also suggested adding ‘goods coaches’ in Delhi Metro for transportation.