India, July 19 -- In the dusty and cluttered corners of Delhi's urban sprawl, past the clamour of flyovers and tail lights, lie graveyards of metal and memory. Over 17,000 vehicles - rusted shells stacked in precarious towers - clog 26 impound yards across the Capital. These "open malkhanas" have become holding zones for Delhi's End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs), condemned by age, air pollution laws, and court orders.

But the city's ambitious scrappage mission is choking on its own backlog.

In early July, the Delhi government - under pressure from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) - launched yet another drive to tow and scrap ELVs. Barely 100 vehicles were impounded in the first two days. Meanwhile, the yards are nearing capaci...