Rs 65-Lakh Land Rover Sold For Rs 8 Lakh Because Of Delhi Vehicle Policy

The Delhi government's plan to lift the fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles and make efforts to resolve issues related to the restrictions on their movement has come too late for one man, who had to sell two expensive vehicles at throwaway prices because of the policy.

In 2014, the National Green Tribunal ruled that diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old will not be allowed to be used in Delhi and the National Capital Region. This was later upheld by the Supreme Court.

This policy forced Nitin Goyal to sell his 2013 Jaguar Land Rover, which he bought for Rs 65 lakh, to a person from Himachal Pradesh for just Rs 8 lakh. He also sold his 10-year-old Mercedes C Class 220 CDI Sports Limited Edition, for which he had paid Rs 40 lakh, for just Rs 4 lakh.

Goyal asked that if BS-IV vehicles were being allowed to be sold till 2020, how were vehicles that followed the same norms, but manufactured in 2013, suddenly unfit for use?

He has now bought a Jaguar F-Pace.

Delhi Government's Letter

The Delhi government on Thursday urged the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which is responsible for taking anti-pollution measures for the Capital and NCR, to suspend the fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles just two days after it was implemented. Pumps in Delhi had been instructed not to give fuel to diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. 

Following outrage, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the fuel ban was not feasible and technological challenges were coming in the way of implementing it. Mr Sirsa said people were unhappy because of the ban and the BJP government would stand by them.

"Because of several critical operational and infrastructural challenges, it will not be feasible to implement this order at this juncture. In fact, immediate implementation may be premature and potentially counterproductive," Mr Sirsa said in a letter to the CAQM. 

The government also said it will make all efforts to resolve issues related to the restrictions on the movement of end-of-life vehicles in Delhi. 

How To Get Back Impounded Vehicles

More than a dozen four-wheelers and over 60 two-wheelers were also seized after July 1, when the fuel ban came into effect. 

To recover the impounded vehicles, three conditions will need to be met:

• An affidavit will have to be given that the vehicle will be taken out of Delhi to another state.
• A challan of Rs 10,000 will have to be paid.
• The expenses incurred by the Transport Department in seizing the vehicle will also have to be reimbursed by the vehicle's owner.