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Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Just 123 vehicles detected as ELV crackdown starts
The first day of a crackdown on end of life vehicles (ELVs), estimated to run into millions, saw just 98 such vehicles detected at fuel stations in Delhi while some more were seized at the Noida border, transport department officials said on Tuesday. Police officers inspect a bike at a pump in Delhi. (Sanchit Khanna/HT) Starting 6 am, 80 ELVS were impounded in Delhi, officials said. These included 45 impounded by Delhi's transport department, 34 by the traffic police, and one by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Officials did not clarify how many were two-wheelers or four-wheelers. The drivers of 18 other vehicles detected by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras were allowed to leave with a no objection certificate and a fine, the officials said. A few drove off without stopping. Separately, the Noida police seized 25 vehicles during checks at the border with Delhi. Fuel station operators said that it seemed ELV owners were avoiding filling their vehicles in the Capital instead opting to go to neighbouring cities like Gurugram and Noida. The ELVs — petrol vehicles older that 15 years and diesel vehicles older that 10 years that have to be scrapped — were to be impounded on the spot and sent to a scrapping facility. There, these will be kept for 15 days, giving violators the chance to pay a fine and take the vehicle away -- to be sold outside NCR. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), citing the VAHAN database, had said Delhi has 6.2 million ELVS, which included 4.1 million two-wheelers and 1.8 million four-wheelers. However, officials said this figure includes de-registered vehicles, vehicles already scrapped and those having a no objection certificate that grants a year's time to sell these vehicles outside of NCR. An official aware of the matter said while an exact figure is unavailable, the actual number of ELVs plying on the roads may be around 600,000-- about 10% of the tally shared by CAQM. Excluding the scrapped, de-registered and NOC vehicles, Delhi has around 8.1 million vehicles, according to the Delhi Statistical Handbook 2004. Most owners use their ELVs only sporadically, opting to leave them parked, pointed out Amit Bhatt, Managing Director (India) at the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). 'This (drive) will mean these occasional uses will stop and the person will eventually have to scrap their vehicle. It also provides an opportunity for people to switch to electric vehicles,' he said. Dr S Velmurugan, chief scientist and head of traffic engineering division of Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) concurred. 'What we have to realise is that a lot of these vehicles, mostly two-wheelers, were de-registered and people seldom use them. They just keep them parked at home, or in case of two-wheelers, use them for small trips such as getting groceries from the market. This new ban will mean they will not be able to ply...,' he said, stating while data on the number of ELV plying was unavailable, around 50% are likely still be making such trips in Delhi or NCR. 'The move will mean people either have to switch to public transport, or rely on cab aggregators. While we do not have adequate buses, our metro can handle an additional 15-17% load. We also know a number of people will have a second car or two-wheeler, so that may mean there is little impact on Delhi's roads in terms of traffic density,' he added. Transport expert and former CEO of World Resources Institute (WRI) India OP Agarwal said since most of these vehicles are lying parked in neighbourhoods around the city, street-level action would be required. 'I have seen such vehicles in my neighbourhood too, which are gathering dust and are never moved. The problem is a lot of people are still unaware of how to get vehicles scrapped,' said Agarwal, stating the transport department should do awareness drives. On Tuesday, HT also came across vehicles at fuelling pumps that would soon have to be scrapped. Aman Jha (45), the owner of a 14-year-old petrol car, said while he understood the urgency of the move, however, for the middle class, it is a challenge to buy a new vehicle. 'I bought my car in January 2011 and it will complete 15 years next year in January. I cannot afford to buy another car right now, which is why I have taken so much care of this car. It is in excellent condition and I feel really helpless that this car will be scrapped,' he said. Nischal Singhania, president of Delhi Petrol Dealers Association, said that fuel pumps located on or close to the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana borders witnessed around a 10-15% drop in sales. 'The ban created fear among most of the vehicle owners who usually refilled at the border fuel stations in Delhi, and many of them preferred to refill their vehicles from fuel stations located in neighbouring cities, such as Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad. The ban will be more effective if the government enforces it across Delhi and NCR,' Singhania said.
India.com
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet wife of Champaklal from Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah, as beautiful as 'Babita Ji', her name is...
Meet wife of Champaklal from Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah, as beautiful as 'Babita Ji', her name is... In the world of showbiz, every move and every step of actors is highly scrutinised. Whether it is their appearance at an event, their post-gym paparazzi, or their interpersonal life, they are always under constant public gaze. One such similar tale is famous actor from a beloved Indian soap opera. The person in question is none other than Amit Bhatt, who is known for his infamous role of Champaklal Jayantilal in India's most-watched soap opera – 'Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah'. This show was released in the year 2008, and even after 16 years, it continues to resonate with audiences and touches an emotional chord. But, besides the actor who has gathered a lot of love and attention for his impeccable performance in this show, it's not him, but his wife who is currently making waves. View this post on Instagram A post shared by kruti bhatt (@kruti525) Amit Bhatt, aka Champaklal Jayantilal Gada's wife, Kruti Bhatt, was seen sharing pictures with her husband on social media. Fans were quick to appreciate her undeniable charm and beauty. Many even said that her looks can surpass any actress. However, Kurti Bhatt is away from the world of the limelight; she is a dietitian and nutritionist who gives people tips on staying fit and healthy. From her pictures, one can tell that the duo loves to travel and are seen sharing pictures from their trips. A lot of fans also commented that Kruti can surpass Munmun Dutta (Babita Ji of TMKOC) in beauty. Amit Bhatt and Kruti have two kids; the elder son is Dev, and the younger one is Deep. Amit's son also appeared in TMKOC, portraying the role of Tappu's friend. What's also interesting is that Amrit Bhatt, who plays the role of Jethalal's father, is 51, younger than Jethalal in real life.
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
CAQM advises NCR govts, PSUs to switch to cleaner-fuel vehicles
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR, in an advisory, asked state governments, public-sector undertakings and public institutions in the region to transition their vehicular fleet from petrol and diesel to cleaner fuels, such as CNG, or replace them with electric vehicles (EVs). It said policies need to be drafted to ensure all future vehicles procured provide 'an accelerated road map' for clean mobility in NCR. The advisory issued to chief secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan on May 2, a copy of which was accessed by HT, said that a switch to cleaner mobility was looked at as a feasible option in meetings held on measures to curb vehicular pollution. 'Amongst various measures to curb vehicular pollution, transition to cleaner mobility, preferably towards zero emission vehicles like the Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and other such technologies that may develop in future, assumes significant importance and needs to be accorded priority,' read the advisory, issued by CAQM member-secretary Arvind Nautiyal. 'While the concerns of vehicular emissions are universal, considering the ultra-high density of vehicular traffic particularly in Delhi-NCR, there is a need to develop an accelerated roadmap for cleaner mobility, focusing on transition from polluting vehicles, dependent purely on fossil fuels like diesel and petrol,' the advisory read. It said governments, PSUs and public institutions in Delhi-NCR may take the lead in this context and initiate policy measures which will allow transition to cleaner modes, such as battery electric vehicles (BEVs), compressed natural gas (CNG) cars, compressed biogas (CBG) vehicles, strong hybrid electric vehicles (SHEV), flex-fuel vehicles (FFV) with higher ethanol blending or flex fuel strong hybrid vehicles (FFV-SHEV). '...they may also mandate future purchase and hiring or leasing of only such cleaner mode vehicles' the advisory read. Experts said that while state governments in NCR have been looking at cleaner fuel options for some time, the goal should be to focus on zero-tailpipe emissions. 'Delhi has been experimenting with CNG for quite some time too, but ideally, we should have zero-emission vehicles to completely reduce pollution from a source. If governments, PSUs and public institutions make a transition, it not only reduces the quantum of polluting vehicles on the roads, but sets a clear example to the public too,' said Amit Bhatt, managing director (India), International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). The vehicular sector remains a key source of pollution in the capital and the area around it. Emission inventory studies for Delhi done by IIT Kanpur in 2015, TERI-ARAI in 2018 and Safar in 2018 pointed out that the transport sector's contribution to PM2.5 (finer particulate matter) was 20%, 39% and 41%, respectively. Among combustion sources, it was the highest source and overall, the second biggest source behind dust, data showed.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
A congested road for Tesla as ambitious rival drives into India
It appears Elon Musk 's electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla is a bit late to the India party. Tesla has recently finalised some showroom space in India and posted more than two dozen jobs, signalling it is getting closer to a launch. But a Tesla rival, small unprofitable EV maker VinFast Auto , which had briefly become the third most valuable auto manufacturer in the world in 2023 after Tesla and Toyota, leaving behind General Motors and Ford Motor, as its stock rose nearly 700% days after its listing on Nasdaq, is driving into India. Reuters has reported that VinFast plans to open a car assembly plant in India by the end of June, its chief said on Thursday. Formed in 2017, VinFast began making EVs in 2021. It is backed by Vingroup, Vietnam's largest conglomerate. VinFast in January last year signed an agreement with Tamil Nadu to invest as much as $2 billion in the country. Work on the plant started soon after, with an initial investment of $500 million. The loss-making startup had initially planned to focus on America for its foreign sales, but slow progress in the United States, even before growing uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs, pushed the company to change strategy. VinFast's entry in itself may not be a significant challenge for Tesla in India, but it points at a crowding EV space which might make it hard for Tesla to cruise into the Indian market. A crowded space for Tesla Tesla has been mulling an India entry for the past several years. Now when it seems to be ready, it may have lost much of its sheen, novelty and competitive edge. VinFast is not the only challenge Tesla will face in India. VinFast has joined a host of local and Asian EV makers in India which have crowded the EV space. Tesla will enter India when its local as well as global players are already establishing their play but still leave a big market open for it. Tesla's Asian rivals such as Suzuki Motor Corp.'s India unit, MG Motors, Hyundai, BYD Co. and VinFast are pulling ahead in India's nascent EV market as the fight intensifies for the fastest-growing major automobile market where Tesla Inc. is conspicuous by its absence. Tesla's reluctance to enter India — it had registered a local unit more than four years ago — has given competitors a head start in the country's nascent but rapidly expanding EV market. If all the carmakers are going to converge in India and participate, Tesla should have 'a little bit of FOMO in coming days,' Amit Bhatt, India managing director at the International Council for Clean Transportation told Bloomberg in January. With Tesla yet to firm up its India plans, the competition for market share remains chiefly among Asian players and is set to heat up as sector leader Maruti Suzuki joins the fray. Maruti Suzuki, the nation's biggest carmaker by volume, has time and again demonstrated its ability to capture a big slice of the market even if it enters late — with its diesel offerings and compact SUVs in the past. Tata Motors , the EV market leader, holds a market share of 38 percent, followed by JSW MG Motor India at 29 percent. Mahindra & Mahindra holds 16% market share. India's electric car market saw an impressive jump in 2024, with sales rising by 20 percent and closing just shy of the 1 lakh-unit mark. This is a notable increase from the 82,688 electric cars sold in 2023. A price-sensitive Indian market will see a rising competitive intensity. Last year, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) threw a big challenge to global EV makers like BYD and Tesla. After the company's keenly-watched launch of BE 6e and XUV 9e EVs, CEO Rajesh Jejurikar said that M&M was not afraid of any global carmaker and that it welcomes Tesla & BYD to "come and launch something like this in India, but at these prices". However, the trend of premiumisation sweeping the Indian market with a growing number of the rich who like to splurge on high-end items, Tesla will find ample space for its products. Even though competition is rising as local as well as global players are entering the EV segment with rising preference among the buyers for EVs and expanding ecosystem and improving technology, India still offers a vast untapped market. Electric vehicles made up barely 3% of the total vehicles sold in 2024. That's quite a large space for Tesla to support its sagging performance elsewhere. VinFast and other EV makers in India might pose the challenge Tesla is facing elsewhere. Its sales have been declining in key markets due to increased competition from rivals like BYD, as well as delays in new model updates. BYD has now overtaken Tesla to become the world's largest EV manufacturer by both revenue and units sold. This, along with Musk's political parlay, has impacted its market cap, which has shrunk by nearly $800 billion. ET has written that as Tesla struggles to regain momentum in its core markets, it would need more than a ripple in India to inject enthusiasm.
Economic Times
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Economic Times
A congested road for Tesla as ambitious rival drives into India
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads ( Originally published on Apr 24, 2025 ) It appears Elon Musk 's electric vehicle (EV) maker Tesla is a bit late to the India party. Tesla has recently finalised some showroom space in India and posted more than two dozen jobs, signalling it is getting closer to a launch. But a Tesla rival, small unprofitable EV maker VinFast Auto , which had briefly become the third most valuable auto manufacturer in the world in 2023 after Tesla and Toyota, leaving behind General Motors and Ford Motor, as its stock rose nearly 700% days after its listing on Nasdaq, is driving into has reported that VinFast plans to open a car assembly plant in India by the end of June, its chief said on Thursday. Formed in 2017, VinFast began making EVs in 2021. It is backed by Vingroup, Vietnam's largest conglomerate. VinFast in January last year signed an agreement with Tamil Nadu to invest as much as $2 billion in the country. Work on the plant started soon after, with an initial investment of $500 loss-making startup had initially planned to focus on America for its foreign sales, but slow progress in the United States, even before growing uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs, pushed the company to change strategy. VinFast's entry in itself may not be a significant challenge for Tesla in India, but it points at a crowding EV space which might make it hard for Tesla to cruise into the Indian has been mulling an India entry for the past several years. Now when it seems to be ready, it may have lost much of its sheen, novelty and competitive edge. VinFast is not the only challenge Tesla will face in India. VinFast has joined a host of local and Asian EV makers in India which have crowded the EV will enter India when its local as well as global players are already establishing their play but still leave a big market open for it. Tesla's Asian rivals such as Suzuki Motor Corp.'s India unit, MG Motors, Hyundai, BYD Co. and VinFast are pulling ahead in India's nascent EV market as the fight intensifies for the fastest-growing major automobile market where Tesla Inc. is conspicuous by its reluctance to enter India — it had registered a local unit more than four years ago — has given competitors a head start in the country's nascent but rapidly expanding EV market. If all the carmakers are going to converge in India and participate, Tesla should have 'a little bit of FOMO in coming days,' Amit Bhatt, India managing director at the International Council for Clean Transportation told Bloomberg in January. With Tesla yet to firm up its India plans, the competition for market share remains chiefly among Asian players and is set to heat up as sector leader Maruti Suzuki joins the fray. Maruti Suzuki, the nation's biggest carmaker by volume, has time and again demonstrated its ability to capture a big slice of the market even if it enters late — with its diesel offerings and compact SUVs in the past. Tata Motors , the EV market leader, holds a market share of 38 percent, followed by JSW MG Motor India at 29 percent. Mahindra & Mahindra holds 16% market share. India's electric car market saw an impressive jump in 2024, with sales rising by 20 percent and closing just shy of the 1 lakh-unit mark. This is a notable increase from the 82,688 electric cars sold in 2023.A price-sensitive Indian market will see a rising competitive intensity. Last year, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) threw a big challenge to global EV makers like BYD and Tesla. After the company's keenly-watched launch of BE 6e and XUV 9e EVs, CEO Rajesh Jejurikar said that M&M was not afraid of any global carmaker and that it welcomes Tesla & BYD to "come and launch something like this in India, but at these prices". However, the trend of premiumisation sweeping the Indian market with a growing number of the rich who like to splurge on high-end items, Tesla will find ample space for its though competition is rising as local as well as global players are entering the EV segment with rising preference among the buyers for EVs and expanding ecosystem and improving technology, India still offers a vast untapped market. Electric vehicles made up barely 3% of the total vehicles sold in 2024. That's quite a large space for Tesla to support its sagging performance and other EV makers in India might pose the challenge Tesla is facing elsewhere. Its sales have been declining in key markets due to increased competition from rivals like BYD, as well as delays in new model updates. BYD has now overtaken Tesla to become the world's largest EV manufacturer by both revenue and units sold. This, along with Musk's political parlay, has impacted its market cap, which has shrunk by nearly $800 billion. ET has written that as Tesla struggles to regain momentum in its core markets, it would need more than a ripple in India to inject enthusiasm.
