Pune has over 44.9 lakh registered vehicles. More than 30.7 lakh are two-wheelers, followed by more than 9.45 lakh private cars
Pune: India’s voluntary vehicle scrappage policy, announced in 2021, had one key aim: incentivise the public to scientifically scrap their ageing, unfit vehicles. But Pune has seen little uptake of the policy, with only 2,897 vehicles sent for scrapping since 2024, suggesting that scores of old vehicles — many of them polluting — are likely still in circulation on the city’s roads. But Rajan Junavane, president of Pune district bus and car owners’ association, said that in metro cities, commercial vehicles are not allowed to operate after eight years due to high mileage.
“There were talks of commercial vehicles not being allowed to operate after 15 years nationwide, however, transporters today move these vehicles to smaller cities (tier-2, tier-3) where they run them after paying the green tax. ”
To discourage prolonged use, a green tax is charged: Rs 5,000 for two-wheelers, Rs 3,500 for diesel four-wheelers and Rs 3,000 for petrol cars,” the official added. The COD allows such owners to claim a 15% discount on the price of a new vehicle. “For instance, I have a bike that’s nearly 16 years old but I have maintained it properly and it works just fine. If I scrap it, I might get a 15% discount, but most two-wheelers these days cost more than Rs 1 lakh,” said a Yerawada resident who works as an office clerk.
“The policy is not mandatory,” a state transport department official said. For commercial vehicles, the green tax varies according to make and model. Delayed payments attract an additional fine every month, the transport official said. Officials said one reason for the low numbers was the resale of old two-wheelers in rural areas. We also know of cases in which these old bikes were just abandoned after use,” Bhosle said. Officials said vehicle owners interested in scrapping can reach out to specialised facilities, which issue a Certificate of Deposit (COD) that can be used to avail incentives during purchase of a new vehicle. But some owners TOI spoke to said the economics of replacing an old but functional vehicle was not always favourable.
“Owners can continue to operate their vehicles if they have the right documents, including the pollution certificate. The tax is valid for five years, after which the vehicle has to be re-registered and taxes paid again. “We know that many two-wheeler owners tend to do this. They get a decent price in rural areas, and people in villages don’t really mind using old bikes for their personal use. The benefit is also not restricted to a vehicle of the same category. For instance, a person scrapping a small car can use the COD while purchasing a bigger vehicle.