Delhi Bans Fuel for Overage Vehicles from November 1

New Delhi: Just days after the Delhi government lifted restrictions on the use of older diesel and petrol vehicles, a new directive now prohibits the sale of fuel to such vehicles starting November 1. The fuel ban will be enforced not only within Delhi but also across five districts of the National Capital Region (NCR).

The order, issued on Monday, reverses the earlier relaxation and aims to curb rising air pollution levels in the capital and its surrounding areas.

Under the new rules, petrol pumps will not provide fuel to:

• Diesel vehicles over 10 years old
• Petrol vehicles over 15 years old

According to reports, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has stayed the implementation of the fuel ban on end-of-life (EOL) vehicles in Delhi until November 1. The decision comes after the Delhi government raised concerns about operational and infrastructural challenges in implementing the policy.

The Delhi government's letter flagged challenges in implementation, citing that the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system lacks the "requisite robustness, with issues related to technological glitches, camera placement, working of sensors and speakers, and that the system is not yet fully integrated with the database of neighbouring NCR states." Chief Secretary Dharmendra also wrote a letter on July 7, saying that the enforcement of a geographically restricted end-of-life threshold for motor vehicles would lead to unfair treatment of vehicles in Delhi.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa had earlier flagged "challenges and implementation flaws" in the CAQM order, stating that the process should be fair. The Delhi Minister said that there are operational and infrastructural challenges in implementing the Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) directions concerning the fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles.

The Delhi government had urged CAQM to pause the implementation of its directions, citing that the decision is linked to the daily lives and livelihoods of millions of families. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said that there is a need for reconsideration.

The CAQM had issued directions that diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years cannot get fuel in Delhi's fuel stations from July 1. The directive stated that all End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles identified through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras installed at fuel stations across Delhi will not be allowed to refuel.

According to an official statement by CAQM, Direction 89 will be amended to allow EOL vehicles to receive fuel from pumps till November 1.