Pune RTO Plans To Ban Vehicles Older Than 15 Years To Tackle Pollution & Traffic Woes

The Pune district administration is set to propose a ban on vehicles older than 15 years within city limits as part of efforts to curb rising air pollution and mounting traffic congestion in the city.

District Collector Jitendra Dudi, who also chairs the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), has asked authorities such as the RTO, Traffic Police and Pollution Control Board to prepare and submit a formal proposal to the Maharashtra state government for approval. If the proposal is sanctioned by the government, the action could impact more than seven lakh vehicles currently registered across the district.

According to data from the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO), as many as 6,83,411 private vehicles and 46,284 transport vehicles in the district have crossed 15 years on the road. Two-wheelers constitute the largest portion of these ageing vehicles, with 5,12,575 still plying on roads.

Officials said the proposal will be sent keeping in view serious concerns over deteriorating air quality and increasing vehicular density, which have led to frequent traffic snarls across key arterial roads. Removing older vehicles could significantly cut emissions and reduce pressure on the city’s already strained road infrastructure.

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has previously introduced measures to discourage the use of old vehicles, including higher renewal fees and the imposition of a green tax on vehicles over 15 years old. Despite these steps, many vehicle owners continue operations by paying the additional charges.

Swapnil Bhosale, Deputy Regional Transport Officer, speaking to The Free Press Journal, said, “Currently, we are compiling comprehensive data on ageing vehicles to strengthen the proposal. Similarly, the Traffic Police and Pollution Control Board will prepare reports on it. All the reports and proposals will require approval from the state government before implementation. During discussions on road safety programmes with Collector Jitendra Dudi, the initiative for the proposal was made and accordingly will be implemented once it gets clearance from the government.”