Delhi has moved to speed up vehicle scrapping by appointing the Transport Commissioner as the registration authority for vehicle scrapping facilities, giving the Transport Department a formal role in approving and overseeing new authorised centres in the national capital.
The decision was notified by the Delhi Transport Department under the Motor Vehicle (Registration and Functions of Vehicle Scrapping Facility) Rules, 2021. A notification issued on October 29 states that the Transport Commissioner will serve as the registration authority for vehicle scrapping facilities in the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
The notification also establishes an appellate arrangement. The senior-most Additional Chief Secretary has been designated as the appellate authority. If the senior-most Additional Chief Secretary also holds the post of Transport Commissioner, the Chief Secretary will act as the appellate authority. The order will take effect from the date it is published in the Delhi Gazette.
The move comes as Delhi continues to enforce restrictions on older vehicles under directions of the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court. Diesel vehicles more than 10 years old and petrol vehicles more than 15 years old are not permitted to operate on roads in Delhi-NCR under the existing restrictions.
Owners of vehicles covered by these restrictions have limited options. They can have the vehicles scrapped, obtain a no-objection certificate to move them to another state subject to applicable conditions, or convert them into electric vehicles using approved technology. The Delhi government is also promoting electric vehicles through incentives, according to the report.
The notification addresses an administrative gap in the vehicle scrapping system. The availability of authorised scrapping facilities is important because restrictions on older vehicles can be implemented effectively only when vehicle owners have a recognised channel for disposal. The absence of adequate scrapping arrangements in Delhi has been identified as a challenge for owners whose vehicles have reached the permitted age limit.
By assigning registration powers to the Transport Commissioner, the government intends to accelerate the approval and establishment of new vehicle scrapping facilities. The authority will handle processes related to the registration of such centres under the 2021 rules, while appeals will be handled through the senior administrative authorities identified in the notification.
The decision links enforcement against older, potentially polluting vehicles with the creation of supporting urban infrastructure. For vehicle owners, the next practical step will be the availability of registered facilities that can process end-of-life vehicles through the authorised system. For the government, implementation will depend on how quickly applications are processed and how many facilities are ultimately registered.
The notification becomes operational after publication in the Delhi Gazette, after which the Transport Department’s registration and appellate framework for vehicle scrapping facilities will formally apply in Delhi.
