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Sense of relief for motorists

IT IS pretty much all over town, the sense of relief that the decree banning registration of pre-2000 model vehicles has been shelved, for the time being. The decision was taken to review an earlier decision keeping in mind the welfare of the people, we are told, and that’s gone down very well with the people. So, any and every type of vehicle of any model can be registered, and is renewable, if the necessary technical tests are gone through.

A lot of people, with models pre-2000, were till the other day wondering what to do with their jalopies. For many of them, their pre-2000 vehicles were like their own babies, cars which they had purchased with hard earned bread that they had saved over a period, or had taken loans to buy, a little money here, a little money there, and papa driving home a car that had seen its days, and some.

Companies which had bought a fleet of pre-2000 models of vehicles were the worst hit by the decree. In one fell-shot, they were denied registration and the companies were left high and not so dry with junks in their parking lots. There was nothing that could be done except rue the decree, and the decision - the decision to buy pre-2000 model cars.

But all that is now nothing more than so many tears down the cheek. The decision to review the decree and shelve the move has brought out the smiles.

Meanwhile, the GCC countries have referred to the GCC Specifications Authority the decision fixing lifespans of vehicles in GCC countries. There is still time to shed the tears, those that were halted by the decision to review the decree on banning registration of pre-2000 models. So keep those smiles muted.

• UAE