Transporters to protest against ban on old vehicles in city

Demanding lifting the ban on plying of decade-old diesel vehicles on city roads, transporters on Friday threatened to block entry of vehicles into the national Capital from midnight on Monday.

“If the ban is not lifted, then no commercial vehicle irrespective of its age will enter into Delhi from midnight of Monday, April 13,” transporters body AIMTC President Bhim Whadhwa said. The body on Friday held a meeting on the matter. Earlier this week, the National Green Tribunal directed that all diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years old will not be permitted to ply in Delhi.

“The utter callousness with which the order is pronounced by the tribunal is not in good taste and it seems that some lobby is at work behind this draconian move,” he added.

The tribunal had directed the transport department of the Delhi government and other concerned authorities to prepare a comprehensive data of registration of vehicles which are 10 or more years old. The body also said, as a part of the order a number of vehicles are being impounded at night and money is being fleeced from vulnerable truckers.

It added, the government must pay heed to the loss of livelihood of lakhs of truckers and their family members on account of this short sighted dicktat.

Delhi Traffic Police has already impounded over 250 vehicles to enact the order.

Earlier in the day, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that the country’s economic situation and other aspects also need to be taken into account while implementing such decisions.

The Tribunal had also directed the transport department of Delhi government and other authorities concerned to compile comprehensive data of the registration of all vehicles which are 10 or more than 10 years old.