New Schedules for Emission Norms and Safety Regulations
Ms Bhuvaneswari Jayaraman, Assistant Director, SIAM
March 2004 was a busy month for everyone in the automobile
industry, not only on account of the financial year closure
but also because of some last-minute changes with regard
to implementation dates for BS II emission norms for diesel-driven
two and three wheelers and four wheeled vehicles and the
uncertainty with regard to timely completion of tests for
new safety norms coming into force from 1st Apr'05.
On 29th Mar'05, just three days prior to BS II norms coming
into force in the entire country and BS III norms in 11
cities, the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways
issued a draft notification proposing deferment of BS II
norms for diesel driven two, three and four wheeled vehicles
in 7 states - Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh,
Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab.
This certainly did not augur well, as the Industry had worked
extensively to introduce the new products in time for Indian
conditions. Substantial resources had been spent on developmental
work and entire production planning of Bharat Stage II and
Bharat Stage III vehicles, to comply with various MoSRT&H
notifications.
The Automobile Industry does appreciate that the postponement
decision, would also have been difficult one for the Government
of India and must have been taken under exceptional circumstances.
However, this move has given rise to an anomalous situation.
At this stage, it would not be feasible to make any changes
with regard to production plans.
Given the fact that production of Bharat Stage I vehicles
was to be stopped from 1st April 2005, no vehicle manufacturer
has submitted Bharat Stage I models for testing for compliance
with the safety & noise regulations coming into force from
1st April 2005. Thus, no Bharat Stage I vehicle model has
been certified as per notification No. SO 1365 (E) dated
13th December 2004 and GSR 849 (E) dated 30th December 2002.
Therefore, SIAM suggested to the Ministry that if BS II
norms for diesel vehicles were being deferred in the 7 States,
Bharat Stage I compliant Diesel vehicles currently being
sold in the seven states mentioned in the draft notification
may be permitted to be manufactured and sold even after
1st Apr'05, based upon the certification for all the CMVR
provisions as prevalent on 31st Mar'05.
The final notification from the Ministry GSR 200 (E) dated
1st Apr '05 and issued on 4th Apr'05 has notified the implementation
dates for two, three and four wheeled diesel vehicles in
the 7 states as given in Table 1.
| S.
No. |
State |
Date |
| 1. |
Rajasthan |
1st
June 2005 |
| 2. |
Uttar
Pradesh -
Mathura, Kannauj,
Muzaffarnagar, Aligarh,
Farukkabad, Saharanpur,
Badaun, Barreily, Moradabad,
Hathras, Rampur, Bijnor,
Agra, Pilibhit, JP Nagar,
Mainpuri, Lalitpur, Hardoi,
Firozabad, Jhansi,
Shahjahanpur, Etawah,
Jalon, Lakhimpur Kheri,
Etah, Mahoba and Sitapur |
1st
June 2005 |
| 3. |
Uttaranchal |
1st
July 2005 |
| 4. |
Madhya
Pradesh |
1st
September 2005 |
| 5. |
Himachal
Pradesh |
1st
October 2005 |
| 6. |
Jammu
& Kashmir |
1st
October 2005 |
| 7. |
Punjab |
1st
October 2005 |
New safety regulations were notified for implementation
with regard to automobile lamps, lighting and light signalling
devices, interior noise, and spray suppression devices among
others, with effect from 1st Apr'05.
The relevant standards for automobile lamps and lighting
and light signalling devices were finalised and notified
in December 2004. Following a review meeting held jointly
by ACMA, SIAM, TMA and ARAI, it was felt that a deferment
of implementation dates for regulation pertaining to lamps
for four wheelers, installation and performance requirements
for lighting and light signalling devices may be needed
considering the number of pending cases.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport &
Highways, Government of India, issued a notification - SO
451 (E) dated 31st Mar'05, deferring the date of implementation
of standards for automobile lamps and lighting and light
signalling devices for vehicles with more than 3 wheels,
notified for implementation with effect from 1st Apr'05
to 1st Oct'05.
Lighting and Light signalling devices include main-beam
headlamp, dipped beam headlamp, direction indicator, hazard
warning signal, reversing lamp, etc. The deferred dates
are given in Table 2.
Automotive Industry Standards (AIS) prepared by the Automotive
Industry Standards Committee (AISC) relate to safety of
critical parts and are approved by the CMVR-Technical Standing
Committee (CMVR-TSC) under the Ministry of Shipping, Road
Transport & Highways.
There is no denying that these last minute changes would
lead to considerable hardship for all concerned - the Ministry,
RTOs, automobile manufacturers, component manufacturers,
dealers and customers.
SIAM is of the view that in the future at the time of introduction
of Bharat Stage IV emission norms, the implementation date
should be decided after due consideration of the availability
of the fuel well in advance of the introduction of emission
norms.
There is also a need to arrive at a suitable lead-time between
finalisation of a standard, issue of notification and the
implementation. At least six months are needed after finalisation
of standard for testing of relevant components and certification
of vehicle for compliance with the new regulations.
S.
No. |
|
Standards |
Revised
date of
implementation |
| 1. |
Automobile
lamps used
in motor vehicles
including construction
equipment vehicles |
AIS
034/2004 |
1st
Oct'05
(for 4 wheelers)
1st Apr'05 (for
2&3 Wheelers)
- no change |
| 2. |
Installation
requirement for
lighting and lighting signalling
devices for non-transport and
transport vehicles having more
than 3 wheels and their trailers
and semi- trailers subject to the
following:
Installation requirement for
vertical orientation of dipped
beam headlamp
Performance requirement of
the lighting, light signalling
direction indicators
system
Performance requirement of
the lighting, light signalling
and direction indicator
system of construction
equipment vehicles except
the requirement of self-
cancellation of turn signal
indication |
AIS
0008/2001 |
13th
Dec'04 |
Clause
6.2.6.1 of
AIS 008/2001
Safety
Standard
No. 15.1
AIS
012/2004
Safety
Standard
No. 15.1
|
1st Oct'05
13th Dec'04
and valid upto
30th Sep'05
1st Oct'05
13th Dec' 04 |
|
| |
|
