Now Reading: Govt proposes five-year age extension for EV, CNG commercial vehicles
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Govt proposes five-year age extension for EV, CNG commercial vehicles
The government has proposed extending the permissible age of battery-operated, hydrogen fuel-based and natural gas-driven commercial vehicles covered under the national permit system by five years. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has put forward a draft amendment to simplify national permit procedures and increase digitisation.
Under the proposed changes, the existing age limits of 12 years and 15 years for vehicles under the national permit system would be extended to 17 years and 20 years respectively for battery, hydrogen and natural gas vehicles. The move is intended to serve as a financial incentive for fleet owners and commercial transporters to shift from diesel and petrol to cleaner fuels. The ministry has also proposed fully digitising the National Permit system and bringing automotive component manufacturers into the trade-certificate framework.
Separately, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has directed that from January 2027, no new diesel, petrol or CNG light goods vehicles (up to 3.5 tonnes) shall be registered in Delhi, with the ban extending to parts of the NCR from 2028. The Hindu Businessline reports this is based on a CAQM direction dated August 19, following an expert committee recommendation citing the high PM 2.5 emissions from these vehicles. MoRTH has invited objections and suggestions on its proposed amendments for 30 days from the date of notification.
Indian Opinion Analysis
NDTV Profit frames the MoRTH proposal as a business-friendly incentive to promote green transport, emphasising financial gains and digital easing, while The Hindu Businessline reports the CAQM order as a regulatory clampdown on polluting vehicles, foregrounding emission data and a phased ban timeline. NDTV Profit leaves out the CAQM direction entirely, and The Hindu Businessline does not mention the MoRTH age-extension proposal. The two stories cover distinct regulatory tracks: one incentivises green vehicle adoption through longer operational life, the other compels it through registration bans. The practical overlap is that both push commercial transport toward EVs and natural gas, but from opposite ends, carrot and stick. Watch for the 30-day public comment period on the MoRTH draft and the CAQM enforcement deadlines starting January 2027.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): ndtvprofit.com (neutral report), thehindubusinessline.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Methodology and corrections.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
