• Source:JND
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Hyderabad News: The Telangana government has announced plans to ban vehicles that are 15 years old or older from operating on the roads of Hyderabad and other districts starting January 1, 2025. This decision aims to improve road safety and reduce pollution.

According to Times Of India report, under the new regulations, vehicles that do not pass the required fitness tests will not be permitted to be registered or driven on public roads. Vehicle owners will face a choice, either they can scrap their old vehicles or risk penalties if caught driving them. However, those vehicles that pass the fitness test may continue to operate for an additional 3 to 5 years, provided they pay a green tax.

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Hyderabad Old Vehicle Ban: Exempted Vehicles

It is important to note that this exemption will not apply to approximately 10,000 government vehicles, which must be scrapped once they reach the 15-year mark, regardless of their condition.

The Regional Transport Authority has drafted a vehicle scrappage policy and submitted it to the government for approval. Currently, Delhi is the only state in India that prohibits vehicles older than 15 years from being on the roads. Other states, such as Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, have similar policies in place.

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According to reports, there are over 30 lakh vehicles in Telangana that are 15 years old, including 20 lakh in Greater Hyderabad alone. Among these, approximately 17 lakh are two-wheelers, 3.5 lakh are cars, and 1 lakh are goods vehicles.

In a related issue, it has been reported that over 1,000 road accidents involved vehicles that are 15 years old, according to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. In 2022, these older vehicles were responsible for 1,306 accidents in the state, resulting in 418 fatalities and over 1,100 injuries.