In a relief to vintage car enthusiasts, Raj Niwas has instructed the Delhi transport department and MCD not to impound or penalise bona fide vintage vehicles.

LG VK Saxena on Tuesday asked the enforcement teams not to act against such vehicles. A senior official in Raj Niwas said the LG's secretariat wrote to the commissioner (transport) and the MCD commissioner, asking them to ensure that their enforcement wings desist from coercive action against the vehicles registered under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of India notifications. There was no legal process to register the vintage cars in India before 2021. Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari in July 2021 announced the formalisation of these cars by amending Central Motor Vehicle Act 1989.

According to the rule, all four-wheelers that are at least 50 years older than their first date of registration are now considered "vintage". However, these cars need to be in their original form with no "substantial overhaul". The notification also laid down the rules for the re-registration of these cars. "Acting on a representation made by Heritage Motoring Club of India, highlighting that their vehicles are being impounded by the authorities and requesting clarificatory orders in this regard, LG asked his secretariat to issue appropriate directions," said the LG House.

Transport department started a major drive against overaged vehicles, 15 years for diesel and 10 years for petrol, in March last year and sent them for scrapping. Over 15,000 two-wheelers and four-wheelers were impounded. Since then, vintage car owners were raising concerns regarding the plying of their vehicles.

The new guidelines from stipulated penalties for owners of impounded vehicles - INR 10,000 for four-wheelers and INR 5,000 for two-wheelers.