The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has flatly refused to proceed with the registration of three diesel vehicles deployed for the security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Special Protection Group (SPG) had petitioned the NGT that “these three vehicles are necessary for the special purpose of security of the Prime Minister”, hence their registration should be extended. However, the tribunal rejected SPG’s application.
In its order dated March 22, the principal bench of NGT comprising Chairman Justice Prakash Srivastava and expert member Dr A Senthil Vel rejected the SPG’s application.
The bench cited the Supreme Court’s October 2018 order. In this, plying of diesel vehicles older than 10 years on the roads of Delhi NCR was banned.
According to the Indian Express report, the Green Tribunal bench said, “We are aware that these three vehicles are for special use which are not generally available.
Furthermore, these vehicles have driven very little in the last ten years. Besides, they are also required for the specific purpose of security of the Prime Minister but there is an order of the Honorable Supreme Court dated 29.10.2018. We cannot approve your application on that basis. Therefore it is rejected.”
The SPG, which guards the Prime Minister, had requested the NGT to “direct the Transport Department, NCT Delhi/Registration Authority to permit extension of the registration period of Special Armored Vehicles (03 Nos.) by five years i.e. up to 23/12/2029.” “As these vehicles are an essential and integral part of Special Protection Group technical logistics.
These three vehicles were manufactured in 2013 and were registered in December 2014. These vehicles are three Renault MD-5 special armored vehicles. By the way, let us tell you that these three vehicles have driven only about 6,000 km, 9,500 km and 15,000 km respectively in the last 9 years “as they are being used only for specific strategic purposes.”
However, these vehicles, registered for a period of 15 years till December 2029, will be deregistered on completion of 10 years in December 2024 as per the 2018 order of the Supreme Court. In May 2023, the SPG had asked the transport department to extend the registration of the three vehicles for another five years.