During sale from April, 2019- High security number plates to come with vehicles

NEW DELHI: Come April 2019, vehicle buyers won’t need to wait for getting a high-security registration plate (HSRP) or seek an appointment with the vendor to fix them. The road transport ministry has mandated the automobile manufacturers to provide them along with the vehicle and dealers to affix them before sale.

Similarly, the vehicle manufacturers will also manufacture the third registration mark, which will also have colour coding for the fuel used in the vehicle, and these will be fixed by the authorised dealers on the windshield before any vehicle comes out of the showroom. In the case of existing vehicles, the government notification said, “The dealers of the vehicle manufacturers may also affix such plates, supplied by the vehicle manufacturers, on old vehicles after placing the registration mark.”

The HSRPs will come with five years’ guarantee and the third registration mark, a chromium-based hologram sticker, will be such that once it’s taken out, it will get destroyed. This will prevent foul play or tampering. The sticker will have the details of registering authority, registration number, laser-branded permanent number, engine number and chassis number making the vehicle more secure from theft. The Supreme Court has approved the scheme of colour coding for fuel for quick detection of polluting vehicles.

“The cost of the HSRP will be included in the vehicle cost itself. These registration plates with the distinctive number will be linked to the government’s Vaahan database. The new scheme will bring huge relief to vehicle owners as they won’t face any harassment and there will be a nation-wide implementation of the order uniformly,” said a government official.

Though the Supreme Court had ordered complete rollout of HSRP way back in 2005, nearly a dozen states including Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka have not yet implemented it. The SC had passed the order after the 2002 Parliament attack in which a vehicle with tampered number plate was used by terrorists. HSRPs have security features which are tamper-proof.

Meanwhile, Association of Registration Plates Manufacturers of India said they will challenge the central notification in the Supreme Court. “The Centre has no power to issue such an order or rule and it is against the MV Act. It can only lay down the form and manner of display of registration mark. Execution is a state subject. The SC had directed states to implement the rule after selecting a single vendor who would be responsible throughout the manufacturing and affixation process. The amended rules will pave way for multiple vendors and no price fixation and no accountability of the multiple vendors,” said Suren Uppal of the Association.

Madras High Court : Drivers can show vehicle documents in electronic

The Madras High Court has ruled that drivers can show vehicle documents in electronic form when demanded by police or any other official, as stated in a Union government notification last month.

A division bench of Justice Dr Vineet Kothari and Justice Dr Anitha Sumanth Wednesday disposed of various petitions against a memorandum which said vehicle drivers should carry original documents including licence, after recording the notification issued by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways last month.

"In view of the amendment brought by Union of India on November 2, the petitions have become infructuous," the bench said.

The petitions included one filed by All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners Association which challenged the memorandum issued by ADGP, State Traffic Planning Cell, on August 24, 2017 stating that persons driving without licence will be prosecuted under Sections 130 and 171 of Motor Vehicle Act.

According to the memorandum, all motor vehicle drivers shall carry the original documents, including the licence, while driving.

This was challenged by social activist 'Traffic' Ramaswamy, Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Association and Tipper Lorry Owners Association and All India Confederation of Goods Vehicle Owners Association in the high court.

When the matter came up for hearing, lorry owners association submitted before the bench a copy of the notification stating that an amendment had been made to Rule 139 of Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989 with regard to production of licence and registration certificates of vehicles.

The notification was addressed to the DGPs and secretaries of all the states and Union Territories.

The bench was further informed that according to the amended provision, citizens can produce transport-related documents such as registration, insurance, fitness certificates, permits, driving licence, certificate for pollution under check and any other relevant documents on demand by any police official or any other official in physical or electronic form.

This would enable use of digital platforms for carrying and verification of the documents, the notification said. 

Tata Motors Citing Jaguar Land Rover Weakness S&P Downgrades

S&P cut rating on Tata Motors' issuer credit and senior unsecured notes to 'BB-' from 'BB'.

S&P Global Ratings on Tuesday lowered the credit rating of Indian automaker Tata Motors Ltd and its luxury car unit Jaguar Land Rover Automotive Plc (JLR), citing weaker-than-expected profitability at JLR. JLR has been hit hard due to trade tensions between China and the United States, low demand for diesel cars in Europe and worries over Brexit. S&P cut its rating on Tata Motors' issuer credit and senior unsecured notes to 'BB-' from 'BB'. The ratings remain on negative watch, reflecting the uncertainties for JLR from a fast-approaching Brexit deadline, S&P said.

JLR's higher presence in the UK exposes it to the fallout of a potential "no-deal" Brexit which could further diminish the likelihood of a turnaround for the company, the rating firm added.

S&P also expects Tata Motors' leverage to deteriorate over the next 12-18 months, given its ongoing cash losses at JLR despite turnaround plans for the unit.

In October, Tata Motors logged a loss for the second quarter, and revealed a turnaround drive for JLR which included cost cuts and plans to improve cash flows by 2.5 billion pounds over 18 months.

S&P, which considers the company's cost cut target to be aggressive, forecasts that "JLR will have significant negative free operating cash flows over the next two years, resulting in weak financial ratios for Tata Motors."

Shares in the automobile major closed 0.2 per cent higher at Rs 175.70 on the BSE, whose benchmark index Sensex finished down 0.3 per cent.

Variants Explained : Tata Harrier

The Harrier will be available in four variants - XE, XM, XT, and XZ. So, here we have the detailed classification of what these variants have to offer

The Tata Harrier is possibly one of the most awaited launches for 2019, and it could very well be the first model to go on sale next year. Images and other technical specifications of the SUV are already out and now we have also come across the variants and features list of the all-new Tata Harrier. Slated to be launched in early 2019, possibly in January, the new Tata Harrier will come with only one diesel engine on offer with a 6-speed manual gearbox, available in four variants - XE, XM, XT, and XZ. Here we have the detailed classification of what these variants have to offer.

Being a premium product, the new Tata Harrier is quite equipped right from the base variant offering features like - projector headlamps, dual function daytime running lights which also function as turn indicators, electrically adjustable ORVMs, and rear parking sensors. As for the interior and cabin features, the Harrier comes with offerings like - power steering, tilt and telescopic adjustable steering, and all four power windows. On the safety front, the feature list includes - dual front airbags and ABS with EBD as standard.

Tata Harrier XM:

The XM variant comes with all the key features offered in the base XE model, and in addition to that, the Harrier also comes with features like - follow me home function for headlamps, front fog lamps, and rear wiper and washer. The cabin, on the other hand, features a floating island 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, four speakers & two tweeters, steering-mounted controls, and a six-way adjustable power seat for the driver. The XM variant of the Harrier also comes with Tata Multi-Drive Mode 2.0 system (Eco, City, and Sport). On the safety front, the SUV comes with additional features like remote central locking and rear parking sensors with the display on infotainment screen.

Tata Harrier XT:

A level higher XT variant of Tata Harrier comes with a host of additional premium features, adding on to the features offered in the XM trim. The exterior additions include large 17-inch alloy wheels, auto headlamps, dual function LED DRLs that also act as turn indicators, rain sensing wipers, and electrically foldable ORVMs. The cabin features offerings like - soft-touch dashboard with anti-reflective 'Nappa' grain layer, an eight-speaker setup (4 speakers + 4 tweeters), push-button start, automatic climate control, rear armrest, and an 8-way adjustable driver seat. Other features include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reverse parking camera, and cruise control.

Tata Harrier XZ:

The top-of-the-line XZ variant too adds on to the features offered in the XT trim. The offerings include Xenon HID projector headlamps, cornering function for foglamps, logo projection in ORVMs, and shark fin antenna. The cabin, on the other hand, features oak brown interior, premium oak brown Benecke-Kaliko perforated leather seats and door pad inserts, and leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear-shift knob. The top-end XZ also comes with gizmos like - a larger 8.8-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with high-resolution display, nine JBL speakers with amplifier and tuned acoustics, and fully-digital 7-inch TFT instrument cluster. The SUV also comes with driver assistant functions like - Terrain Response Modes (Norman, Rough, Wet), hill hold and descent assist, rollover mitigation, corner stability control, electronic stability programme, and electronic traction control. On the safety front, the SUV features six airbags (driver, co-driver, side and curtain) and ISOFIX child seat mounts for rear outer seats.

India as the date with mandatory vehicle scrapping nears, the enormous test that awaits.

India has moved from being a laggard to securing leadership position in automobile production, ranking first in two-wheelers and fourth in cars in the world. Growth in gross domestic product, increasing incomes, rising aspirations, low penetrations levels, higher exports and the need for mobility have contributed to a surge in production and vehicle population. The industry has been growing at a scorching pace after delicensing in 1991. It produced 28 million vehicles (75 % were twowheelers) last year. This rate of growth will continue over the foreseeable future.

Proliferation of automobiles brought in its wake serious issues — roads choked with traffic, increase in accidents and pollution. A less visible but potent issue that will loom large in the near future is the disposal of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs).

Before the industry was delicensed, people held on to their vehicles for longer periods. The few vehicles that came for scrapping were handled by small-scale informal units, mostly located within cities. Today, more people are buying vehicles and some change their vehicles more often.

The situation took a new turn when the National Green Tribunal mandated scrapping of 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old non-diesel cars in the National Capital Region. Other cities will soon follow suit. Vehicles produced 15-20 years earlier will be due for scrapping — and they will be in large numbers. Approximately 9 million vehicles (75% two-wheelers) will be due for scrapping by 2020. This will increase to 28 million by 2030. The informal industry does not have the capacity to tackle even 10% of the volumes.

INFRA HURDLES
High cost & non-availability of land: Lack of regulations governing operation of recycling units
Lax enforcement of safety & hygiene standards: Reluctance of new entrepreneurs to get into this area

There is a complete mismatch between India’s world-class manufacture of automobiles and the recycling infrastructure, which is primitive. In the West, the industry grew gradually. Scrapping systems developed in tandem. In India, however, the scrapping infrastructure remained static despite a spurt in vehicle population.

In the absence of avenues for disposal, the public will start abandoning old vehicles. Vehicles are increasingly being dumped along our highways. There are newspaper reports of abandonment of vehicles in open lots and on the roadsides in Pune, Goa, Mumbai and elsewhere. Detection of ownership can be dodged by effacing engine and vehicle numbers and removing number plates. If unchecked, abandonment of vehicles will spread like cancer.

The scrapping units — some are located in residential areas — use crude methods for dismantling vehicles and operate with low yield. Their operations pollute air and poison groundwater. They bypass the crucial “de-pollution” stage of recycling. They do not neutralise airbags and seat belts or degas air-conditioning units. The waste they generate is mixed with municipal waste. Lack of space constrains them from carrying out effective depollution and proper recycling. 

Europe and Japan have legislated quantitative targets for reuse, recycling and recovery from ELVs. The US and Canada leave it to market forces. In the US, Europe and Japan, around 85% by weight of cars is recycled using modern techniques. During depollution, batteries are removed, oils and fuels are drained, heavy metal items are separated and airbags deactivated. Saleable parts are removed. The remaining hulk is compacted into small bundles by powerful presses. The bundles are crushed and broken into sizes that are suitable to be fed into furnaces. Steel and non-ferrous items are separated by magnetic and eddy current separators. The 15% by weight of leftover auto shredder residue (ASR) comprises of glass, metals, ceramics, glass, rubber, plastics and other materials. ASR is dumped in designated landfills in the US and Canada. In Europe and Japan, where land is scarce, ASR is treated by mechanical or chemical means. Less than 5% by weight ends in landfills. 

ELV recycling is a win-win for society. It will create jobs, conserve resources, save energy, reduce pollution and mitigate climate change. Recycled aluminium and steel consume 5% and 20% of energy, respectively, compared with energy required for production of virgin metals. Effective recovery can reduce import of steel scrap and aluminium ingots, saving precious forex. Recycling uses proven technologies and is a relatively low hanging fruit. Scrapping units should be relocated away from residential areas. Recycling parks (modelled on industrial estates) could house the units. These recycling units would have to be equipped with modern techniques. They can be incentivised with access to funds and tax holidays. Processes like deregistration, IT support, depollution and shredding can be centralised. 

India has no regulations for ELVs. Apart from a joint venture of public sector undertaking MSTC with the Mahindra group, recycling is handled by small-scale units. We have to quickly set up recycling infrastructure, including processing of ASR. Governments, industry and stakeholders should jointly formulate time-bound action plans for setting up a viable and modern recycling industry. Inaction is guaranteed to generate chaos. There is no time to lose. 

The writer is chairman of SIAM recycling group and author of Recycling End of Life Vehicles