In 2021, the union government unveiled the National Vehicle Scrapping Policy (V-VMP), a forward-thinking initiative aimed at phasing out aging, polluting vehicles to foster environmental sustainability, road safety, and economic growth. Four years on, as we mark October 2025, this policy has seen varying degrees of success across India, with states like Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh establishing Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) and Automated Testing Stations (ATS) to incentivize voluntary scrappage.
Yet, in Jammu and Kashmir, a region uniquely vulnerable to environmental degradation due to its Himalayan topography, the policy remains largely unimplemented. With no ATS, no RVSFs, and no state-specific framework in place, J&K’s inaction is not just puzzling but perilous, exacerbating pollution, congestion, and safety risks in a union territory that relies heavily on pristine landscapes for its tourism-driven economy.
The policy’s core is voluntary but incentive-laden, owners of vehicles over 15 years old can scrap them for benefits like up to 25 percent rebates on motor vehicle tax for new purchases, reduced registration fees, and manufacturer discounts. In J&K, where over 2. 2 million vehicles are registered doubling from 1.3 million in just eight years; this could catalyse a much-needed fleet renewal.
Alarmingly, around 200,000 “dead” or abandoned vehicles are piling up across the region, cluttering roadsides, private lots, and urban spaces in cities like Srinagar and Jammu, with no organized disposal mechanism available. These relics not only mar the aesthetic appeal of J&K’s scenic valleys but also pose environmental hazards, leaking toxins into soil and water bodies. The human and ecological toll is stark. Srinagar, the summer capital, frequently records Air Quality Index (AQI) levels in the moderate to poor range often hovering around 94-103 fuelled by vehicular emissions from outdated, fuel-inefficient engines.
In a mountainous region like J&K, where valleys trap pollutants, this leads to respiratory issues among residents and diminishes the allure for tourists. Kashmir’s tourism sector, which welcomed over 2 crore visitors in recent years, thrives on clean air, crystal-clear lakes, and unspoiled vistas. However, unregulated vehicle growth and pollution are already taking a toll, studies have shown how tourism itself contributes to air pollution through increased traffic, deforestation for infrastructure, and waste accumulation, creating a vicious cycle that threatens fragile ecosystems like the Dal Lake and Pahalgam’s alpine meadows. Continuing to run carburettor era vehicles amid the rise of electric and CNG alternatives locks J&K into higher fossil fuel imports, draining resources while worsening urban air quality and climate vulnerability in a region prone to glacial melt and extreme weather.
The benefits of swift implementation are manifold and well-documented. Scrapping old vehicles would slash emissions, promoting healthier citizens and safer roads, critical in J&K, where road accidents claim 2- 3 lives daily amid treacherous terrains. It could unlock investments in recycling plants, boosting employment in formal sectors like auto manufacturing and informal ones like scrap processing. It is high time for the J&K government to prioritize this. Establish ATS and RVSFs on a war footing, integrate the policy with the newly notified Jammu and Kashmir Road Safety Policy-2025, and launch awareness campaigns to encourage voluntary scrappage.