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Small Cars Banned in Assam

In response to petitions that appealed to make cars safer, the Court ordered that the sale of all small cars that weigh under 1500kgs and don't meet the crash test norms be stopped.
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By Vikas Yogi

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1 mins read

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Published on August 20, 2015

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    While the Indian automobile industry is still on revival mode, an interim order by Guwahati High Court to ban the launch of small cars that fail to meet crash-test norms in Assam has come as a major setback for the carmakers in the country. In response to petitions that appealed to make cars safer, the Court ordered that the sale of all small cars that weigh under 1500kgs and don't meet the crash test norms be stopped. That said, the order will not impact SUVs that are bigger and have capacity to absorb impact during a crash. The state transport authority has asked car dealers to stop selling products that fail to meet the crash-test norms.

    As a matter of fact, the northeastern states account for about 12 per cent of total car sales in India, and Assam is the largest contributor in that. The petitioners said that crash tests such as the Global NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) that are followed in developed markets should be applied to cars sold in Assam as well because of higher safety standards needed in mountainous regions.

    Just so you know, cars in India are required to pass the frontal crash test norms which is also known as steering impact test to be able to manufacture and sell cars. And stricter front offset crash tests would begin in India as well, but not before 2017.

    "The Centre is directed not to permit the auto manufacturers to release and sell the small four-wheelers with a mass up to 1,500 kg and quadricycles without putting them to crash test and emission test," the court said.

    Major carmakers are astonished by the decision, and they are trying to resolve it through the Society of Indian Automobile Association (SIAM) as they are facing several issues in the Northeast markets after the court order. If the ban remains there or not, will only get clear in the next hearing which i on August 27.

    Source: ET

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    Last Updated on August 20, 2015


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