Odisha Registers Its First Vintage Car; Know About This 1968 ‘Premier’ Model

Bhubaneswar: A 54-year-old Premier Limited car has become the first vintage vehicle to be registered under the amended Central Motor Vehicles (CMV) Rules in Odisha.

Speaking to the media, a Bhubaneswar-based resident said that his wife Padmalaya Praharaj’s grandfather, who was a chief engineer, had bought the vehicle in 1968 and registered it in Puri since there was no RTO office in Bhubaneswar then. “All vehicles were then registered as ORP. Two generations have used this vehicle. After the demise of my father-in-law, my wife had a wish to restore this car,” he said.

The couple soon came to know about the provision for vintage cars of over 50 years under the amended CMV Rules. “We drove to Puri from Bhubaneswar. After proper verification and paper works were done. Since we were the first applicant, we were lucky to get 0001 under the new vintage series number,” he added.

The vehicle was registered at nearly the same amount at which it was purchased — Rs 20,000 — in 1968, giving a validity of 10 years, with the ownership, transferred to Padmalaya Praharaj on Monday. The vintage car was earlier registered as ORP-2456 at Puri RTO on November 18, 1968, sources said.

Subsequently, the renewal of said registration will cost the owner an additional Rs 5,000 and shall be renewable for a period of 5 years.

Notably, Odisha became the ever Indian state to have a separate registration process for vintage vehicles (both two and four-wheelers) that are more than 50 years old in January this year. The Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) had formalised the registration process in July 2021 to preserve and promote the heritage of vintage vehicles.

The rules clarified that vehicles with no substantial overhaul, including modification in chassis or body shell, and/or engine will be considered vintage.

Once the vehicle is registered as ‘vintage’, it would not be allowed to be driven on roads for regular/commercial purposes. “A vintage motor vehicle is allowed to run on Indian roads only for display, technical research or taking part in a vintage car rally, refuelling and maintenance, exhibitions, vintage rallies.”

The owner can sell the vehicle by applying for transfer of ownership of the motor vehicle in the manner as provided under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

According to the state transport department’s database, there are around 4,500 vintage vehicles in Odisha and most of them are defunct.