Delhi Seeks Halt to EoL Vehicle Fuel Ban from July 1

The Delhi administration has officially asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to suspend enforcement of the ban on End-of-Life (EOL) vehicles' fuel, citing operational and technical challenges. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa made it clear that aged vehicles will not be seized at this juncture, and the administration is mulling over an alternative strategy to meet public opposition.

Key Details of the Fuel Ban

Ban Scope: Since July 1, 2025, petrol stations throughout Delhi have been directed not to fill up with fuel for cars that are more than 15 years old or diesel cars that are more than 10 years old.

Enforcement: In accordance with CAQM Direction No. 89, the ban is enforced at fuel outlets by Delhi Police, the transport department, and municipal squads.

Impacted Vehicles: An estimated 62 lakh vehicles in Delhi are affected. Surrounding states also have large numbers of overaged vehicles—Haryana (27.5 lakh), Uttar Pradesh (12.7 lakh), and Rajasthan (6.2 lakh).

Government Concerns and Plea for Relief

In his letter to the CAQM, Sirsa lists a number of issues:

• Incomplete ANPR System: Because the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system is still incomplete or not fully integrated with databases in neighboring states, enforcement remains uneven.

• Cross-Border Issues: Since the ban only covers Delhi, drivers run the risk of obtaining fuel from nearby NCR areas, which would support illegal fuel systems.

• Technological and Infrastructure Problems: In neighboring states, a lack of infrastructure and problems with camera installation make tough enforcement difficult.

The Delhi government requested that the order be suspended until the problems are addressed.

Public and Legal Responses

• Mixed Public Opinion: A survey of almost 13,000 Delhi car owners in April found that 49% backed the ban to ensure cleaner air, while 44% were against it, claiming that properly maintained old cars are being targeted unfairly.

• Legal Challenge: A petition has been filed by the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association saying that private owners of petrol pumps do not have the legal power to implement the ban and are in operational trouble at high-dealing stations.

• Court Involvement: The Delhi High Court has sought responses from both the Delhi government and CAQM, with the next hearing scheduled for September.

Pollution Context and Policy Impact

• Contribution to Pollution: Vehicles contribute more than half (51%) of Delhi’s local emissions, with older vehicles disproportionately emitting particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.

• Policy Origins: The present prohibition is an extension of previous Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal rulings prohibiting the use and parking of aged vehicles in Delhi.

• Expert Critique: Experts caution that age-wise bans can do little to curb pollution, since real-world emissions are more a function of maintenance and technology than of age. Other significant causes of pollution—construction dust, industrial emissions, and crop burning—have not been tackled.

Next Steps

The government of Delhi is under consideration and revisiting the policy, looking at options like retrofitting older vehicles or providing incentives to scrap them. Pollution levels will be monitored by air quality sensors, and the result could impact identical policies in other Indian cities