Major hike in vehicle fitness fees ... Older vehicles to face higher charges

The central government has significantly revised vehicle fitness fees, introducing a new structure based on the age of the vehicle. The fees are now categorized into three slabs10 to 15 years, 15 to 20 years, and above 20 years. The sharpest increase has been imposed on vehicles older than 20 years, with charges rising nearly tenfold. Fitness fees for trucks and buses have now reached around ₹25,000, while medium commercial vehicles will be charged ₹20,000 and light commercial vehicles ₹15,000. For three-wheelers, the updated fee is ₹7,000, and for two-wheelers, it is ₹2,000. Meanwhile, for vehicles below 15 years, the base fees have been revised to ₹600 for small vehicles and LMVs, and ₹1,000 for MCVs. With these changes, maintaining older vehicles on the road has become considerably more expensive, reflecting the government’s push towards reducing pollution and enhancing road safety.