Chandigarh, Aug. 26 -- Chandigarh is at the forefront not only when it comes to buying new cars but has also outpaced several larger states in sending old vehicles to the scrapyard. Under the voluntary vehicle fleet modernisation policy (V-VMP) of the central government, 8,646 old vehicles have been scrapped in the city over the past two and a half years. As per the data, Chandigarh has 14.27 lakh vehicles, which is much higher than the estimated human population of 13 lakh. According to figures presented in the Lok Sabha by Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in the recently concluded session, Chandigarh has surpassed states like Madhya Pradesh (6,892), Odisha (2,737), and Punjab (4,553) in vehicle scrapping, despite its small geographical size. Experts, however, point out that the higher figures may also include vehicles from Punjab, as many are brought to Chandigarh's scrapping centres located in Industrial Area, Phase-1. Across the country, Uttar Pradesh tops the list with 1, 21,206 vehicles scrapped, followed by Haryana (38,993), Maharashtra (19,310), Gujarat (15,448), and Rajasthan (15,420). Gadkari also informed Parliament that metals recovered from scrapped vehicles-such as steel, aluminium, and copper-are reused in the automobile industry, reducing dependence on fresh raw materials and mining. Officials said Chandigarh's scrapping numbers are also higher because of incentives under the policy. Vehicle owners receive a certificate of deposit (CoD) when they hand over their old vehicles to a registered vehicle scrapping facility (RVSF). This certificate entitles them to a rebate of up to 25% on motor vehicle tax for non-transport vehicles and 15% for transport vehicles when purchasing a new vehicle of the same category. The Chandigarh Administration has also imposed strict rules on government departments. No department is allowed to purchase a new vehicle unless it provides a scrapping certificate for the old one. The move ensures that outdated and polluting vehicles are phased out from government fleets. New car sales in Chandigarh have seen a significant decline over the last three years, according to official vehicle registration data. The year 2023 recorded the highest number of four-wheelers sold at 31,416. However, this figure dropped sharply to 24,753 in 2024, marking a considerable decrease. The trend continued into 2025, with only 14,453 four-wheelers sold as of August 25. This downward trajectory reflects a notable shift in the local automotivemarket....