'Had to Scrap My Well-Kept Car, Unfair to Expect Senior Citizens to Buy New One'

The 15-year 'end-of-life' rule for petrol cars in Delhi is a torture for people like me, writes Tejinder Singh Bedi.

(Last week, the Delhi government urged the Centre’s Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to pause the fuel ban on 'end-of-life' vehicles in the capital, which was set to be implemented from 1 July. The following My Report, voicing the concerns of a senior citizen, has been republished in light of the ongoing debate whether well-maintained vehicles beyond their age limit should even be scrapped. It was originally published on 21 January 2023.)

I'm a 69-year-old retired technocrat based in New Delhi. I owned a Maruti Suzuki SX4 car—a petrol variant—which was initially registered in 2008. As it completed 15 years in 2023, I had no option but to sell it under distress.

Post-retirement, I had made a second-hand purchase of the car which was very well-maintained. I thought it would last me my lifetime. But I had no choice as the current rules prohibit petrol vehicles over 15 years and diesel ones over 10 years from operating on Delhi roads.