No fuel for old cars: Delhi NCR sets Nov 1 deadline for diesel, petrol vehicles

Following the Delhi government’s recent decision to allow diesel cars above 10 years and petrol cars above 15 years back on the roads, a new order has been issued stating that these vehicles will no longer have access to fuel starting November 1.

Additionally, the fuel restrictions will be extended to the five districts of the National Capital Region (NCR) on the same date, India Today reported on Tuesday.

In response to a letter from the Delhi government requesting a review of the earlier decision to ban fuel for end-of-life vehicles from July 1, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) held a meeting on Tuesday.

After careful consideration, the commission decided that it would be prudent to implement the fuel ban in all six cities of the Delhi-NCR region simultaneously from November 1. 

The decision followed a meeting of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) held on Tuesday, convened after the Delhi government requested a review of the “no fuel” directive originally set to begin on July 1.

Responding to the request, the commission agreed that implementing the fuel ban uniformly across all six cities in the Delhi-NCR would be more appropriate, scheduling the enforcement for November 1.

Under this policy, Gurugram, Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Sonipat will join Delhi in enforcing the “no fuel” rule for end-of-life (EOL) vehicles.

Earlier, on July 1, the Delhi government launched a significant initiative to combat air pollution by banning fuel supply to EOL vehicles. According to the directive, petrol pumps were instructed not to dispense fuel to diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old.

The enforcement plan included automated camera systems at petrol stations to detect vehicle age and empowered traffic police to seize non-compliant vehicles or issue fines.

However, widespread public backlash led the government to temporarily lift the ban. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa indicated that the government intended to develop a new system for handling older vehicles.

The relaxation followed a report by India Today, which argued that the fuel ban clashed with India’s sustainable ethos of repairing rather than replacing, making the policy appear out of step with cultural norms.

On Sunday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena intervened, writing to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to request a suspension of the ban. In his letter, Saxena noted that Delhi residents were not prepared for such a drastic measure.

He emphasized that middle-class families often devote significant savings to purchasing vehicles, and scrapping them prematurely would be unfair, particularly when some cars may have only minimal usage despite their age.

Acknowledging the emotional value people place on their vehicles, Saxena said it would be unjust to impound and scrap cars simply based on their age, especially if they have seen limited mileage.