The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways recently launched the Voluntary Vehicle Modernisation Program or Vehicle Scrapping Policy, aimed at retiring unfit and polluting vehicles across India.
About Voluntary Vehicle Modernisation Program:
- It is aimed at creating an eco-system for phasing out of unfit and polluting vehicles Reduce pollution by scrapping ~1 Cr vehicles without valid fitness and registration.
- Objectives:
- Improve road, passenger and vehicular safety Improve fuel efficiency and reduce maintenance cost for vehicle owners.
- Boost auto sector sales and generate employment
- Formalize the currently informal vehicle scrappage industry
- Boost availability of low-cost raw materials for automotive, steel and electronics industry.
- The Vehicle Scrappage Policy in India is designed to address environmental and safety concerns by systematically retiring old and unfit vehicles.
- By removing outdated vehicles, the policy seeks to decrease pollution and enhance road safety.
Eligibility for Scrapping:
- Vehicles older than 15 years must undergo a fitness test. If they fail, they are classified as End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) and are required to be scrapped.
- Vehicles older than 20 years must also pass a fitness test, failing this test results in the vehicle being classified as an ELV and subject to scrapping.
- Vehicles must undergo a fitness test at Automated Testing Stations (ATSs) to determine their roadworthiness.
- This test assesses various parameters including emissions, safety features, and overall condition.
Scrapping Process:
- Deregistration: The last owner of the vehicle must hand it over to a Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF), with deregistration completed through the VAHAN portal and the National Crime Records Bureau.
- Depollution: Hazardous materials such as coolant, oils, and AC gas are removed in the initial stage of the scrapping process.
- Dismantling: After depollution, vehicles are dismantled, and components are separated for recycling. This step is labor-intensive and involves sorting various materials.
- Shredding: The remaining vehicle body is shredded, an energy and capital-intensive process that handles large volumes of material.
Ref: Source
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Frequently Asked Question:
What is the Voluntary Vehicle Modernisation Program?
It aims to phase out unfit and polluting vehicles by creating an ecosystem that encourages the scrapping of approximately 1 crore (10 million) vehicles without valid fitness and registration.
What is the fitness test?
The fitness test assesses a vehicle’s roadworthiness by evaluating emissions, safety features, and overall condition. This test is conducted at Automated Testing Stations (ATSs).
Will I receive any incentives for scrapping my vehicle?
The Vehicle Scrappage Policy includes various incentives, such as financial benefits and concessions on the purchase of new vehicles. These incentives are aimed at encouraging vehicle owners to participate in the scrapping program.