The Puducherry government has introduced a vehicle scrapping policy to phase out old and condemned vehicles from the roads. The policy aims to reduce pollution, improve road safety, and promote the use of eco-friendly vehicles.

Key Features of the Policy

The policy has the following key features:

• Vehicle Age Limit: The policy sets an age limit of 15 years for commercial vehicles and 20 years for private vehicles. Vehicles exceeding this age limit will be considered old and condemned.
• Scrapping Incentives: The government will offer incentives to vehicle owners who scrap their old vehicles. The incentives include a discount on the purchase of new vehicles, exemption from road tax, and a cash incentive of ₹5,000 to ₹10,000.
• Fitness Certificate: Vehicle owners will be required to obtain a fitness certificate from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) every year. Vehicles that fail to meet the fitness standards will be considered condemned.
• Emission Norms: The policy sets emission norms for vehicles, and those that do not meet these norms will be considered polluting vehicles.
• Phased Implementation: The policy will be implemented in phases, starting with commercial vehicles and then moving to private vehicles.

Benefits of the Policy

The policy is expected to have several benefits, including:

• Reduced Pollution: The policy will help reduce pollution by phasing out old and polluting vehicles.
• Improved Road Safety: The policy will improve road safety by removing old and condemned vehicles from the roads.
• Promotion of Eco-Friendly Vehicles: The policy will promote the use of eco-friendly vehicles, such as electric and hybrid vehicles.
• Job Creation: The policy will create jobs in the vehicle scrapping and recycling industry.

Implementation and Monitoring

The policy will be implemented and monitored by the Transport Department, Government of Puducherry. The department will set up a dedicated cell to handle the scrapping of vehicles and provide incentives to vehicle owners.

Public Response

The policy has received a positive response from the public, with many welcoming the move to phase out old and condemned vehicles. However, some vehicle owners have expressed concerns about the cost of scrapping their vehicles and the availability of incentives.