In response to intense public backlash, the Delhi government has decided to suspend its controversial fuel ban on older vehicles—referred to as “End of Life” or EoL vehicles—which affected petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced the rollback, stating that the enforcement of such a sweeping policy poses “technological challenges” and lacks a robust infrastructure. The original mandate, part of the Commission of Air Quality Management’s effort to cut vehicular pollution, would have denied fuel at 498 petrol stations in the capital using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems linked to a central database.
The move had initially impacted over 62 lakh vehicles across Delhi, from private cars to two-wheelers and even vintage models. Authorities claimed the policy targeted the city’s primary polluters, with vehicles said to contribute over 50% of Delhi’s hazardous air pollution. However, the government faced criticism for implementing a policy that penalized even well-maintained, low-emission vehicles that held valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates. Technical issues with ANPR cameras—including their inability to detect High Security Registration Plates (HSRPs) on post-2019 vehicles—further complicated implementation. Many residents, especially owners of luxury or rarely-used vehicles, were outraged that their functioning automobiles were being labeled as “vintage scrap.”
Social media erupted with testimonials from affected citizens, some of whom claimed they were forced to sell expensive vehicles at heavy losses due to the flawed policy. One post highlighted the case of a 16-year-old, well-maintained Mercedes-Benz E280 being deemed unfit, while another man said he had to let go of his 8-year-old diesel Range Rover. Critics labeled the policy “a penalty on responsible ownership” rather than a true environmental reform. With Delhi being the first city in NCR to enforce this EoL directive, it remains to be seen if other regions like Gurugram—slated to adopt it by November—will also reconsider.
