Chandigarh, Dec 8 (IANS) The Haryana Cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini here on Monday, accorded approval to fix the age of tourist vehicles for operation under the Haryana Motor Vehicles Rules, 1993.

These rules may be called the Haryana Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2025. As per the amendment, vehicles operating with all-India tourist permits in the NCR region will be allowed to operate for 12 years if they run on petrol or CNG, whereas diesel vehicles under this permit category will be permitted for a maximum of 10 years.

For non-NCR areas, all-India tourist permit vehicles running on petrol or CNG and diesel will also have a maximum operational age of 12 years.

For all other permits, including stage carriage, contract carriage, goods carriage and school buses in the NCR region, their maximum permissible vehicle age has been fixed at 15 years for vehicles operating on petrol, CNG, electric or other clean fuels.

However, for diesel vehicles operating under these permit types, the maximum age has been fixed at 10 years only in the NCR region.

For non-NCR areas, all other permits, including stage carriage, contract carriage, goods carriage and school buses running on petrol, CNG, electric or other clean fuels and diesel will have a maximum operational age of 15 years.

The Cabinet also approved a major reform in urban governance by introducing the Haryana Municipal Bill, 2025, aimed at replacing the existing Haryana Municipal Act, 1973, and the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994.

The new unified Act has been drafted to bring all categories of municipalities — municipal corporations, municipal councils and municipal committees — under a single legal framework.

At present, 87 municipalities function under two separate Acts, causing administrative complexities, inconsistent service delivery and challenges in interpretation of rules, an official statement said.

The department has undertaken extensive consultations over the past two years to prepare the draft legislation, incorporating relevant provisions from the Model Municipal Law circulated by the government of India.

The Haryana Municipal Bill, 2025, aims to streamline governance, remove ambiguities, modernize municipal administration and strengthen financial autonomy of urban local bodies.

Key provisions include empowering municipalities to determine taxes and fees between minimum and maximum government-fixed rates and provisions for credit rating to facilitate market borrowings, etc.

The Act also introduces provisions for urban transport planning, urban forestry, and the prohibition of illegal colonies similar to the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975.

For municipal staff, the Act proposes common service rules to reduce litigation arising from transfers and promotions under separate legal frameworks. Additionally, a provision has been made for the appointment of a municipal magistrate for the trial of municipal offences, and penalties or fines for various violations have been enhanced. The initiative marks a significant step towards establishing a modern, uniform and efficient municipal governance system across Haryana, aligned with current and future needs of urbanisation.

–IANS

vg/pgh