Government to retrofit diesel vehicles older than 10 years with electric kits

On Thursday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government of Arvind Kejriwal announced two significant steps to promote electric vehicle use in Delhi. Electric-light commercial vehicles (e-LCVs) will now be exempted from time-specific routes, while diesel vehicles older than 10 years will be retrofitted with electric kits.

In order to retrofit conventional internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric ones, the transport department will empanel the manufacturers of electric kits. In Delhi-NCR, a vehicle enlisted in the army can continue to run for at least 10 years after its enlistment.

‘Delhi is now open to ICE to electric retrofitting! Vehicles if found fit can convert their diesel to the electric engine, department will empanel manufacturers of pure electric kit by approved testing agencies. Once empanelled this will enable vehicles to continue plying here beyond 10 years,’ tweeted Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.

A circular regarding the matter has also been issued by the Delhi traffic police in line with the decision of the Kejriwal government. The National Green Tribunal (2015) and the Supreme Court (2018) ruled that diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years cannot be driven in Delhi-NCR. During no-entry hours, electric vehicles (e-LCV) will be allowed on about 250 roads. The government is taking another step to encourage the use of electric vehicles in the national capital.

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‘Good news for Electric Light Commercial Vehicles ( L5N & N1). To drive adoption of EVs we’ve exempted these vehicles from any prohibition from plying & idle parking on identified roads during ‘No Entry’ Hours. LCVs reg. have already seen a 95% hike since launch of EV Policy,’ Gahlot tweeted.

It is not uncommon for the roads in the national capital to become congested during peak hours, which ultimately increases vehicular pollution. In Delhi, commercial vehicles are prohibited from entering over 250 main roads during the ‘no entry hours.’ Light commercial vehicles are not allowed to operate on these roads between 7 am and 11 am and between 5 pm and 9 pm.