Govt proposes extending age limits for battery, hydrogen, CNG vehicles by 5 years

The government has proposed extending by five years the age limits specified for battery-operated, hydrogen fuel-based and natural gas-driven vehicles under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules.

The proposal is part of draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, notified by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on August 10.

The draft rules, which are yet to be finalised, provide that the specified age limits for battery-operated, hydrogen fuel-based and natural gas-driven vehicles will be extended by five years.

The ministry has invited objections and suggestions from the public on the draft rules, which will be considered after 30 days from the date the notification is made available to the public.

The proposed changes also seek to make temporary registration provisions more flexible.

Temporary registration for a chassis without a body would be valid for six months.

If the chassis remains in a workshop beyond six months for body fitting or due to circumstances beyond the owner's control, the registering authority may extend the validity by 30 days at a time, subject to an application and payment of the prescribed fee.

For fully built vehicles that are to be converted into adapted vehicles or registered in a state other than the one where the dealer is located, temporary registration would be valid for 45 days.

The draft also proposes allowing recognised automotive component manufacturers involved in research and development for new automotive products to be covered under provisions relating to trade certificates. Such manufacturers would have to be approved by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

For national permits, the government has proposed that authorisations be granted electronically for a period chosen by the applicant, from one year up to five years at a time, with a fee of ₹16,500 for each year of the authorisation.

The draft rules also seek greater use of digital records by allowing details in various forms to be automatically fetched from the VAHAN portal after the vehicle registration number or dealership authorisation details are provided.

For instance, details such as GST registration number, PAN, Udyam Aadhaar and Corporate Identification Number would be incorporated in the trade certificate application.

In another proposed change, Form 48 would require details of a vehicle's valid registration, insurance, pollution-under-control and fitness certificates, along with pending challan history and details of any national permit previously held for the vehicle.