Bengaluru initiates disposal of expired vehicles

In a strategic move, the process of identifying and listing expired vehicles from various departments in Bengaluru has quietly commenced. The transport department is gearing up to systematically transfer these vehicles to Scrap Merchants, with an initial plan to move around 5,000 vehicles within the first month.

The decision to dispose of approximately 15,000 expired vehicles falls in line with a cabinet meeting resolution, outlining the gradual disposal of these vehicles at a rate of 5,000 each over the next three years. The transport department is currently prioritizing the listing of the oldest vehicles for the first phase of transport to Gujari centers, set to kick off before the upcoming new year.

There are diverse departments with vehicles aged 20-25 years and some surpassing the 15-year mark. The categorization process considers factors such as age and mileage, with the oldest or highest mileage vehicles being towed in the initial phase. The transport department official clarified that this initiative will commence in Bangalore and subsequently extend to district centers.

A clear inventory of the identified vehicles is expected within two to three days. Following this, discussions with officials from respective departments will take place before the transportation process to Gujari centers begins. A Gujari center near Vijayapura in Devanahalli has already been prepared for this purpose, according to C. Mallikarjuna, the Transport Department Additional Commissioner (Operation).

The remaining 10,000 vehicles are slated for disposal at a rate of 5,000 each over the next two years. Notably, the public is unaffected by this process, and citizens can dispose of their expired vehicles independently.

In a parallel move, the Bengaluru transport authorities have written to the central government, requesting Rs. 200 crores for the purchase of electric-powered vehicles to replace the phased-out ones. This request aligns with the Cabinet’s approval, and the funds, once released, will be distributed as incentives to the respective departments.

While the Gujari Center initiative has been operational in the state, with only a few expired vehicles sent so far, plans are in place to establish additional units in Koratagere and Koppal in Tumkur. The required machinery for these centers has already been arranged. Across the country, a total of 64 Gujari centers have been established.