'Had to Scrap My Well-Kept Car, Unfair to Expect Senior Citizens to Buy New One'
Guest Author: TEJINDER SINGH BEDI
(Disclaimer: This 'My Report' voicing the concerns of a senior citizen has been republished in light of the ongoing debate on whether well-maintained vehicles beyond their age limit should even be scrapped. It was originally published on 21 January 2023.)
I'm a 69-year-old retired technocrat based in New Delhi. I owned a Maruti Suzuki SX4 car—a petrol variant—which was initially registered in 2008. As it completed 15 years in 2023, I had no option but to sell it under distress.
Post-retirement, I had made a second-hand purchase of the car which was very well-maintained. I thought it would last me my lifetime. But I had no choice as the current rules prohibit petrol vehicles over 15 years and diesel ones over 10 years from operating on Delhi roads.
But to expect a senior citizen to buy a new car post-retirement is torture. It's just not fair.
At my age, buying a brand-new car isn’t a choice most would make. But I was forced to scrap my well-maintained car, which had clocked just 78,000 km. It left a dent on my savings. Plus, I had to seek help from my son to make the purchase.
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