Why should the vintage car rally be allowed, NGT asks body

The country’s highest environmental court on Thursday questioned the organisers of the classic car rally and asked why the event should take place on such a large scale when the air quality of the National Capital Region (NCR) is poor.

National Green Tribunal, which had recently banned vehicles older than 15-years from the streets of Delhi, has also observed that even vintage cars fall under the ban.

While going through the plea, a Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Swatanter Kumar, said: “The Supreme Court of India has referred the matter to the Tribunal and asked to hear the matter related to Delhi’s air pollution. We will take a final view on Saturday but tell us why the 50-60-year-old cars should be allowed to ply in the city at a time when its air quality is perfectly in a bad shape?”

The admission of the plea came a week after Supreme Court transferred the concerned plea to the green Tribunal and clarified that it has not stopped the National Green Tribunal (NGT) from passing any order in matters pertaining to air pollution in Delhi.

On January 18, the organisers moved Supreme Court after the NGT barred vintage car rally on the grounds that the city’s air quality has already been deteriorated. The organising body of the car rally sought permission from the green court for the vintage car rally to be allowed in the national Capital as it would generate funds for disabled children.

“Green court’s decision has come as a shock for all those who have spent their life collecting these classic cars. A sweeping ban might demolished a running history of the country,” Mohan, a member of the 21 Gun Salute international Vintage Car Rally Organization said. “There should be some distinction, as the car rally was being organised for charity,” he added.

According to the organiser body, this year the rally was to be organised on a much larger scale, with 125 hand-picked vintage and classic cars rolling down the streets.

After the green court’s decision the future of the sixth edition of 21 Gun Salute International Vintage Car Rally, which was scheduled to embark on February 6 to 7 to brandish luxury from Gurgaon to Delhi, seems uncertain.