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NEW DELHI: Holding on to your over 15-year-old personal or commercial vehicle will become more expensive, if the road transport ministry’s fresh proposal for voluntary scrapping is approved by the government. It has proposed increase in fees for renewal of registration of old private vehicles up to 25 times and for old commercial vehicles, the annual fitness test fee could be up to 125 times of what is being charged now.

The ministry has circulated a policy paper among different departments seeking their feedback, which government intends to roll out by mid 2020. It targets to increase the number of approved scrapping centres to meet the requirement. According to the proposal, the fitness test of a more than 15-year-old truck or bus could cost Rs 25,000 as compared to present charge of Rs 200. Similarly, fitness test for cab/taxi and minitruck could be up to Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively.

It’s mandatory for commercial vehicles to get fitness certificate every year. Sources said the road transport ministry has been advised to ensure that “strict fitness regime” should be the only criteria and not the age of vehicle for declaring it as unfit to ply on the road.

As per the renewed plan, there would be no hike in registration or re-registration of commercial vehicles.

On the contrary, in case of private vehicles there will be an increase only in the fee for renewal of registration after 15 years and there would be no hike in fee for getting a fitness certificate. As per the proposal, the renewal fee for two and three-wheelers could be Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 respectively as compared to the current fee of Rs 300. In case of four-wheelers, it could be Rs 15,000 against the current fee of Rs 600.

The renewed registration certificate of private vehicle is valid for five years. The vehicle owners can renew them every five years.

The transport ministry has proposed several incentive for people scrapping their old vehicles by doing way with the mandatory registration fee for new vehicle which would be bought against scrapped one. Secondly, the government has asked auto makers to offer some discount to such buyers as this would push their sales as well.

