- An inquiry has been ordered into the scrapping of over 40,000 vehicles in Delhi during 2024 alone
- Scrapping targeted petrol vehicles over 15 years old and diesel vehicles over 10 years old
- Complaints include non-payment of scrap value and denial of Certificate of Deposit
The Delhi government is set to order an inquiry into the large-scale scrapping of overaged vehicles during the tenure of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), following complaints from vehicle owners who allege they never received compensation after their vehicles were impounded and destroyed.
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Monday confirmed that a formal investigation will be launched into the process by which nearly 40,000 vehicles were scrapped in 2024 alone.
The scrapping followed enforcement drives targeting petrol vehicles over 15 years old and diesel vehicles older than 10 years. In 2023, over 22,000 vehicles met a similar fate.
"There are serious concerns that the mandated scrapping process may not have been followed in several cases," Mr Sirsa said.
He added that multiple vehicle owners have reported not receiving the government-notified scrap value. The inquiry will also look into allegations that some impounded vehicles were diverted illegally to other states for disposal.
Government sources say the probe will examine whether owners received the mandatory Certificate of Deposit (CoD) a crucial document that proves scrappage and is needed to claim tax or registration benefits within the stipulated timeframe. There are also complaints that owners were denied access to their vehicles to retrieve personal belongings once the cars were towed.
Further allegations pertain to towing and handling charges. Despite caps imposed by the Delhi Parking Rules, 2019, several vehicle owners claim they were overcharged by agencies, even after being issued release orders. "Some operators levied inflated fees under the guise of handling or parking charges," said an official aware of the issue.
The controversy dates back to March 2023, when the Transport Department began an aggressive crackdown on overaged vehicles, citing directions from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). Then Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot had objected to the impounding drive, calling it "unauthorised" and "invasive," and directed officials to halt the towing of parked vehicles. The campaign was briefly suspended but resumed soon after CAQM reasserted its position.
The matter eventually landed in the Delhi High Court. Judges allowed the release of impounded vehicles-but under strict conditions. Owners were required to sign undertakings promising that their vehicles would either be moved out of the NCR or kept permanently off city roads, parked in private spaces.
Now, with tens of thousands of vehicles already off the road, the spotlight is on whether the process was above board. The inquiry will examine if scrap rules were violated, if citizens were denied rightful compensation, and whether contractors or scrapyards gained at the public's expense.
Minister Sirsa said the findings would be made public and warned, "Any wrongdoing uncovered will not be tolerated."
