Karnataka to seek relaxation on Centre’s scrap policy for public transport vehicles

Minister for Transport and Muzrai Ramalinga Reddy informed the Legislative Council on Wednesday that Karnataka intends to request the Central government to relax the scrap policy for the public transport vehicles that are in good condition.

Replying to member Govind Raju’s query on age-barred public transport vehicles in the State, Mr. Ramalinga Reddy said that they were planning to write to the Centre on the issue, seeking relaxation for public transport vehicles that had crossed 15 years but were in good condition to operate. Already such exemption had been given in Tamil Nadu, he said.

On scrapping other government vehicles that had crossed 15 years, Mr. Reddy said he would write to the departments concerned and seize such vehicles.

“In the Vahan portal, the Union government has cancelled the registration of 18,552 government vehicles (barring transport vehicles) that were more than 15 years old. So far, only 1,493 vehicles have been scrapped under the Registered Vehicle Scrapping Policy and 17,059 vehicles are to be scrapped,” he said.

3,212 scrapped

Mr. Reddy said that already 3,212 vehicles of the four transport corporations in the State had been scrapped from April 2023 owards and 579 are due for scrapping.