In the revised rule, truck manufacturers get option of fitting AC system for the cabin or with the cabin’s ventilation system
Truck manufacturers in India get relief over the mandatory AC cabin issue in the latest notification by union transport ministry. Under the revised rule, the manufacturers can either fit an air conditioning system for the cabin of the truck or with the truck cabin ventilation system. All the new trucks to be manufactured from January 2018 will come with one of these systems.
Indian government has been advocating for the need of AC cabins for truck driver for quite some time. It announced the mandate for the step as well, but it received sharp objection from auto manufacturers. The revised rule comes as an effect of that. Both the above mentioned options have been introduced in the recent notification to find a middle path.
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While government says introduction of air conditioned cabins will help the truck drivers with a comfortable driving experience and it will provide good driving condition, the transport ministry has been silent on the serious issues like mandatory minimum wages to be paid to the truck drivers, specific working hours and rest for the drivers. Truck manufacturers believe if such basic issues are not addressed, introduction of air conditioning system to the truck cabins won’t be much helpful for the drivers.
Meanwhile, alongside the notification of revised rule for mandatory AC truck cabins, the ministry has also issued another notification. According to this, all the BS-IV complying vehicles across the country built before April 2014 will have to be registered by June 30, 2020. No such vehicles across India will be registered after deadline.
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This comes at a time, when the Indian auto industry is rushing towards the stricter BS-VI emission norm that is about to kick in from April 2020. India is going to take a leap to the BS-VI emission norm from its current BS-IV norm. Under this new emission regulation air pollution level is expected to be significantly dropped across the country.