The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has declined a request from the Special Protection Group (SPG) to extend the registration of three diesel-powered specialized armored vehicles "required for the specific purpose of Prime Minister's security."
The NGT's principal bench, chaired by Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Dr. A Senthil Vel, rejected the SPG's application in its order dated March 22. The decision cited a Supreme Court order from October 2018, which banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years from operating on the roads of Delhi NCR.
While acknowledging the vehicles' special purpose and low mileage over the past decade, the bench stated that due to the Supreme Court's order, the SPG's request could not be granted.
The SPG had sought NGT's intervention to extend the registration period of the three specialized armored vehicles by five years, until December 23, 2029. They argued that these vehicles were crucial components of the SPG's technical logistics.
These Renault MD-5 specialized armored vehicles, manufactured in 2013 and registered in December 2014, have only covered approximately 6,000 km, 9,500 km, and 15,000 km respectively over the past nine years, as they were used for specific tactical purposes only.
Despite being registered until December 2029, the vehicles are set to be deregistered in December 2024, following the Supreme Court's 2018 directive.
In May 2023, the SPG requested the Transport Department to extend the registration of the three vehicles by an additional five years. However, the request was denied by the Registering Authority of NCT of Delhi in June 2023, citing the NGT and Supreme Court orders.
