Guwahati: The Meghalaya government’s recent decision to enforce the Vehicle Scrappage Policy has triggered widespread anger and emotional resistance across the state.
According to a report by The Shillong Times, the policy mandates phasing out approximately 13,000 vehicles, including 5,000 government-owned vehicles older than 15 years and 8,000 private vehicles over 35 years old.
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For many in this hill state, vehicles represent far more than transportation. Residents view old jeeps and wooden-bodied buses as family heirlooms and cultural symbols, making the policy feel like a direct blow to their heritage and way of life.
Ashoke Lyngdoh, a noted vintage car enthusiast with vehicles over 60 years old, criticized the policy for forcing people to abandon vehicles they’ve cherished for generations. “It’s a veiled attempt to push people into buying cars they can’t afford,” Lyngdoh said. He added that although authorities might spare his antique cars, they likely won’t allow more common models like older Marutis to remain, even if those vehicles pass pollution tests.
Lyngdoh emphasized that in Meghalaya, owning a vehicle often represents a lifetime of hard work and aspiration. “It’s like a dream for many. It’s simply unfair to take that away from someone who worked hard and saved to afford a secondhand car,” he said. He also questioned the selective enforcement of the policy. “Why target private cars while letting commercial lorries go unchecked? Are they any cleaner?” he asked, noting that even his WWII jeep meets pollution standards.
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Café Racers Shillong president Khamjam Charmang echoed the sentiment, arguing that the policy threatens India’s automotive legacy. “Scrapping old Indian-made cars like Marutis and Ambassadors is like erasing history,” he said. Charmang called for stricter emissions enforcement rather than a blanket ban on older vehicles, warning that the policy overlooks both emotional and practical realities in the state.
Many residents also raised concerns about the unsuitability of modern vehicles for Meghalaya’s terrain and economy. “BS6 vehicles are too complex to repair on rural roads,” Charmang said, pointing out that people in remote areas rely heavily on older, rugged vehicles for their livelihoods.
Bike and car enthusiast Maxwell V Nongbri criticized what he described as government double standards. “The real polluters, cement and coke factories, continue unchecked, while ordinary citizens are made to pay the price,” he said. He suggested scrapping only vehicles lacking valid registration, fitness, or pollution clearance rather than those in good condition.
Harrison F Dhar, another vehicle enthusiast, highlighted the irony of enforcing the scrappage policy while Byrnihat holds the title of the world’s most polluted city. “The government should clean up Byrnihat, improve roads, and fix traffic congestion before blaming old cars for pollution,” he said.
In one of India’s poorest states, where vehicle ownership often represents dignity and economic survival, many view the scrappage policy as a bureaucratic attack on memory and pride. As Lyngdoh summed it up: “You’re not just scrapping vehicles, you’re scrapping people’s dreams.”