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Maruti, Hyundai missing from list of cars fit for registration in NCR

Veeresh Malik in New Delhi

The list of cars eligible for registration in the National Capital Region has as many surprises by way of exclusions as it has by way of amazing inclusions.

Here is the position, as it stands at the weekend:

Cars that match India 2000 norms are:

• Tata Sumo/Indica diesel
• Honda City 1.3/1.5 petrol
• Hindustan Motor Trekker diesel
• HM Mitsubishi Lancer petrol
• Fiat Uno 1.7 petrol
• Tempo Trax diesel
• Mahindra Commander diesel

Cars that match Euro-I norms are:

• Ford Escort 1.8 diesel

Cars that match Euro-II norms are:

• Ford Escort 1.6 petrol
• Mercedes-Benz E petrol/diesel

Daewoo had already claimed that its Matiz conforms to the Euro-II norms, much before the Supreme Court ruling of May 14, 1999.

All the vehicles listed above have received permission based on self-certification basis.

The surprise exclusions, as is evident, are all the vehicles of Maruti and Hyundai.

Media reports attribute this to their cars being unable to meet the Euro norms. However, the auto industry analysts point out that the "self-certification" is a factor. This factor has, apparently, hurt several egos within the bureaucracy.

A source in the ministry of surface transport has said that manufacturers getting permission for registration on the basis of self-certification are laying themselves open for future action. Should it be found in future, when official tests will be carried out, that the company-certified vehicles do not actually conform to the Euro norms, they run the risk of getting de-registered.

So what happens to the hapless buyer, his investment, then, remains anyone's guess.

Hyundai and Maruti, both of whom have publicly claimed that their cars meet Euro-I norms at the very least, have refrained from going the self-certification route.

It is learnt that Hyundai has already received Euro-I/India 2000 approvals from the Automobile Research Association of India for their Santro and is awaiting Euro-II.

Maruti, too, has got the Esteem and the Zen certified. The Maruti Suzuki small car and Omni are expected to get the clearance by June.

Meantime, market sources said there is still some confusion among prospective buyers. Should he buy a car that has received official approval? Or should he go in for one that has been self-certified as Euro-fit? If the directive for self-certification is endorsed to the rest of the country, will it be for self-certified cars or for those that were officially passed? These are some of the questions to which the market is seeking answers.

Maruti, it is learnt, has received 86 cancellations out of over 11,000 bookings.

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