Delhi Govt Urges Hold On Fuel Ban For End-Of-Life Vehicles, Cites Challenges

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has requested the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to temporarily suspend its directive banning fuel sales to end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in the capital, citing implementation hurdles, ANI reported on Thursday.

The directive, known as Direction No. 89, prohibits fuel stations from dispensing petrol, diesel, or CNG to ELVs — defined as diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years — starting July 1. The ban applies regardless of whether the vehicles are registered in Delhi or outside.

In a letter to the CAQM, Sirsa argued that enforcement of the ban is not currently feasible due to the lack of a fully integrated Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system across the National Capital Region (NCR).

“We urge the Commission to put the implementation of Direction No. 89 on hold with immediate effect till the ANPR system is seamlessly integrated across the entire NCR,” the minister said. He added that the Delhi government remains committed to improving air quality and believes its ongoing efforts will yield substantial results.

At a press conference, Sirsa noted growing public dissatisfaction with the fuel ban and assured that the government supports the concerns of citizens, according to PTI.

The CAQM's April directive instructed fuel stations to deny service to ELVs and mandated the display of clear signage informing customers of the ban. Petrol pumps were also directed to maintain a manual or digital log of all fuel refusals related to such vehicles and to train staff in enforcement procedures.

According to the VAHAN database, Delhi has more than 62 lakh end-of-life vehicles, including 41 lakh two-wheelers and 18 lakh four-wheelers. Official records show around 60.14 lakh of these have been deregistered, though many remain in active use.

Last month, the Delhi government issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to help fuel stations implement the new rule. However, authorities now say enforcement is proving complex without supporting infrastructure.