New Delhi, July 3 — The Delhi Government has urged the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to reconsider the fuel ban on overage vehicles within the capital, stating that the policy is not practically implementable due to technological hurdles and systemic complexities.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, speaking at a press conference on Thursday, said the current enforcement has triggered widespread dissatisfaction among residents. “There is public anger regarding this move. The Delhi Government stands with the people,” he said.
Sirsa argued that the fuel ban must be enforced uniformly across the National Capital Region (NCR) to be effective, instead of singling out Delhi. He also criticized the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for imposing what he described as “unrealistic and rigid norms” related to end-of-life vehicles.
Under new directives effective from July 1, diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old—both of which are classified as deregistered end-of-life vehicles (ELVs)—are no longer allowed to refuel at petrol pumps or ply on city roads, in compliance with court orders.
Since the enforcement began, Delhi’s Transport Department and traffic police have been actively impounding such ELVs when they are found at fuel stations.
The Delhi Government’s letter to CAQM stressed that technical limitations make it difficult to implement the ban in isolation. “Without a common framework across the NCR, the policy creates enforcement disparities and invites unnecessary inconvenience,” Sirsa said.
While the government acknowledged the environmental concerns that prompted the ban, officials reiterated that a broader and coordinated effort was needed to ensure both effectiveness and fairness in implementation.
