The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed extending the prescribed age limit for battery-operated, hydrogen fuel-based and natural gas-powered vehicles by five years. The proposal is part of draft amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
The draft rules were issued on August 10, with the government inviting comments and suggestions from stakeholders within 30 days. The proposed changes will take effect only after they are formally notified in the Official Gazette.
The draft does not specify the revised maximum permissible age for each type of alternative-fuel vehicle. If implemented, the change could give operators running electric, hydrogen and CNG-powered fleets additional time before their vehicles reach the applicable age limit.
MoRTH has also proposed changes to the way national permit authorisations are issued. Under the draft, applicants would have the option of obtaining a national permit authorisation electronically for a period of up to five years.
The proposed fee is Rs. 16,500 for each year of authorisation, with the amount to be deposited into the national permit account. Applications in Form 46 and authorisations in Form 47 would also be processed electronically under the proposed system.
The draft amendments include changes to temporary vehicle registration provisions. For a chassis without a body, temporary registration would continue to be valid for six months from the date of issue.
Where body construction takes longer than six months, or delays arise from circumstances beyond the vehicle owner’s control, the registering authority could extend the temporary registration in 30-day increments.
For fully built vehicles undergoing conversion into adapted vehicles, as well as vehicles being registered in a state different from the dealer’s location, the proposed validity period for temporary registration would be 45 days.
Automotive Component Manufacturers Could Get Trade Certificates
MoRTH has also proposed bringing certain automotive component manufacturers under the trade certificate framework. Eligibility would be linked to approval from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and involvement in research and development activities aimed at developing new automotive products.
The proposed amendments seek to further reduce manual data entry in vehicle-related processes. Information required in certain applications could be automatically retrieved from the VAHAN portal using a dealership authorisation certificate or vehicle registration number.
The revised forms would also include details such as GST registration number, PAN, Udyam Aadhaar and Corporate Identification Number, where applicable.
For vehicle owners, the proposed changes to Form 20 would include an Aadhaar-linked mobile number. Documents related to hire-purchase, leasing and hypothecation arrangements would also record relevant agreement or loan account numbers.
The proposed changes to Form 48 would require information relating to a vehicle’s registration, insurance, pollution under control and fitness certificates. Details of pending challans and any previous national permits would also be included.
The proposals are currently at the draft stage and stakeholders have 30 days to submit their comments and suggestions. The final provisions could therefore change before the amendments are officially notified.