Kolkata: In a move to curb the continued operation of over-aged commercial vehicles, the state transport department has announced new guidelines to ensure that buses and other transport vehicles are properly phased out and scrapped at authorized units once they reach 15 years of age.
Transport secretary Saumitra Mohan issued a notification addressing the issues faced by registering authorities when vehicles are scrapped by their owners without informing the relevant authorities.This lack of communication has created challenges in updating the vehicle’s status on the Vahan national automobile portal, leading to the continued illegal operation of these vehicles, particularly in areas with weak regulatory oversight.
The integration of the phasing-out process with Vahan aims to close these loopholes. The new guidelines mandate that no vehicle replacement will be allowed unless all relevant documents—such as the Certificate of Fitness (CF), tax, and insurance—are up-to-date.
The guidelines also extend to non-transport vehicles intended for scrapping. Owners of transport vehicles in KMA are advised to scrap their vehicles only at licensed facilities within the state.
These measures, effective immediately, are expected to significantly reduce the illegal operation of over-aged commercial vehicles, enhancing road safety and compliance with environmental standards.