The government’s ambitious vehicle scrapping policy runs aground as states are tardy in implementation, private players hesitant and owners reluctant to part with old vehicles

Abhishek K Kaiho’s registered vehicle scrapping facility at Fatehpur, Haryana. Established with Japanese collaboration, the unit currently processes only some 200 vehicles per month against its capacity of around 1,800; (Photo: Rajwant Rawat)

Every winter, as the veil of air pollu­tion descends upon the country, a familiar flurry begins to unfold. Crop-burning is the recipient of the harshest reprimand, but there is equal public bemoaning about the growing number of vehicles on Indian roads, whose noxious fumes contribute substantially to the problem.