There is hardly any better sight for an automobile enthusiast than a rally of vintage cars and bikes showcasing automotive heritage. However, stringent norms regarding old vehicles by the Indian Government has put the future of vintage cars in doubt. A recent case from Delhi accentuates this fear in the minds of owners of vintage vehicles.
A 1948 Humber was recently seized by the Delhi Government on the pretext of getting rid of old vehicles. A petition was filed against the seizure of the 75-year-old ‘vintage’ car at the Delhi High Court by the original owner’s grandson on grounds of the ban on end-of-life vehicles (ELVs).
The petitioner argued that the car was currently not in use and had been sent to a garage for repair in order to get it registered as a ‘vintage car’ as per law. Justice Subramonium Prasad issued a notice on the petition and granted time to the Delhi government to file its reply. Meanwhile, the court also directed the authorities not to scrap the vehicle for the time.
The advocate appearing for the petitioner argued that the car was ‘arbitrarily’ seized by government authorities last month. What’s more bizarre is that the seizure memo does not even mention the correct model of the vehicle, stating it as a 1961 Ambassador. The plea stated that the petitioner was in the process of preparation for re-registration of the vehicle as a vintage car under Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.
The petition further said that although the government relied on the National Green Tribunal order barring use of petrol and diesel vehicles of over 15 years and 10 years of age, respectively, the car in discussion was not plying on the roads of Delhi and therefore not contributing to pollution.
It was also alleged that the Delhi government and the authorised scrapper “were working hand in glove for personal gains” and were “part of an elaborate racket to pocket the additional funds from selling old vintage cars”. The next hearing on this matter is scheduled for December this year.
Vintage vehicles definition
According to the Government of India, all two- and four-wheelers that are more than 50 years old and have been maintained in their original form will be defined as vintage motor vehicles. These vehicles will not be driven for regular and commercial purposes and will have to get a special registration under the ‘VA’ series.
Prior to this ruling, which came in 2021, there were no existing rules for regulating the process of registration across different states. Currently, Odisha is the only state in the country to have separate registration norms for vintage vehicles. Moreover, there are several vintage vehicles across the country that run the risk of seizure on the account of being old vehicles with poor emission standards.
(With inputs from PTI)
