New Delhi, India – July 4, 2025 – Delhi’s ambitious drive to curb alarming air pollution levels has hit a significant roadblock. Just days after the implementation of a strict “end-of-life” (EOL) vehicle policy on July 1st, which mandated the denial of fuel to petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years, the move has sparked a fierce public backlash and led to a rapid political reversal by the Delhi BJP government.
The policy, a directive from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), aimed to remove an estimated 62 lakh (6.2 million) overage vehicles from Delhi’s roads, citing their disproportionate contribution to vehicular emissions. Fuel stations were equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to identify these vehicles, with impoundment a looming threat for non-compliant owners.
The Policy’s Immediate Fallout: Public Outcry and Practical Hurdles
Since its rollout, the policy has been met with widespread anger and frustration from Delhiites. Citizens, many of whom rely on their older vehicles for daily commutes and livelihoods, found themselves abruptly unable to refuel. The suddenness of the enforcement, coupled with perceived lack of alternatives and compensation, ignited a storm on social media and on the ground. Concerns were raised about:
- Livelihood Impact: Small business owners, daily wage earners, and those using older vehicles for essential services found their means of income directly threatened.
- Economic Burden: The policy effectively mandates buying a new vehicle, which comes with significant costs, including high GST and cess, a burden many middle-class families cannot bear.
- Disregard for Vehicle Condition: Many owners argued that well-maintained vehicles with valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates were being unfairly penalized solely based on age, leading to questions about the efficacy and fairness of an age-based ban over an emissions-based one.
- Technological Glitches: The ANPR system, crucial for identifying EOL vehicles, reportedly faced teething issues, including failure to identify vehicles with High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) and lack of seamless integration across the entire National Capital Region (NCR).
The Political U-Turn: Delhi BJP Government’s Intervention
Responding to the mounting public anger and what appears to be a significant political misstep, the Delhi BJP government has swiftly moved to put the policy on hold.
On Thursday, July 3, 2025, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa wrote a letter to the CAQM, urging an immediate suspension of Direction No. 89, which governs the fuel ban. In a press conference, Sirsa stated, “We will clean Delhi’s environment, but will not allow Delhiites’ vehicles to be impounded.” He further emphasized that the government stands with the public and acknowledged the “discontent and outcry” over the move.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also weighed in, acknowledging the “emotional distress” of vehicle owners and stating that the decision was “adversely affecting the daily lives and livelihoods of millions of families.” She reiterated her government’s commitment to controlling air pollution but insisted on a “balance with the social and economic needs of citizens.”
The BJP’s primary arguments for the suspension are:
- Technological Challenges: The ANPR system is not yet “seamlessly integrated across the entire NCR” and suffers from operational inconsistencies.
- Unfair Burden on Delhi: Implementing the ban only in Delhi, without a synchronized rollout across the broader NCR, would lead to vehicle owners simply refueling in neighboring districts, undermining the policy’s effectiveness and potentially fostering an “illegal cross-border market for fuel.”
- Focus on Emissions, Not Age: The Delhi government now advocates for a solution based on actual pollution emitted by vehicles, rather than a blanket age-based ban.
CAQM’s Stance and the Broader Context
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a central body, had issued the directive based on long-standing orders from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) (2015) and the Supreme Court (2018) that prohibit diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years from operating or even being parked in public spaces in Delhi-NCR.
CAQM’s original plan was a phased implementation:
- July 1, 2025: Fuel denial and impoundment in Delhi.
- November 1, 2025: Extension to five high-vehicle-density NCR districts (Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Sonipat).
- April 1, 2026: Rollout across the rest of the NCR.
Despite the Delhi government’s plea, CAQM has yet to officially revoke or suspend its direction. The legal framework from the Supreme Court and NGT still makes these vehicles technically illegal.
Political Blame Game
The opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been quick to criticize the BJP government, calling it a “government of U-turns.” AAP leaders, including Saurabh Bharadwaj and Manish Sisodia, have accused the BJP of initially supporting the move and now backtracking due to public pressure. They claim the BJP government is “forcing” the middle class to buy new vehicles by allegedly colluding with the auto industry.
The BJP, in turn, has blamed the previous AAP government for lacking a robust long-term solution and for setting the stage for such a policy.
Fuel Ban In Delhi – What Lies Ahead?
For now, the enforcement drive, which saw 87 vehicles impounded in its first two days, has largely been halted. Petrol stations are expected to resume normal service. However, the underlying issue of air pollution in Delhi remains critical, and the legal mandates from the NGT and Supreme Court stand.
The future of Delhi’s EOL vehicle policy hinges on:
- CAQM’s Response: Will the CAQM reconsider its directive and allow for a more nuanced, perhaps emissions-based, approach?
- Technological Solutions: Can the ANPR system be swiftly made robust and integrated across NCR to ensure equitable enforcement?
- Balanced Policy: Can a solution be found that effectively tackles pollution without disproportionately burdening citizens or creating economic hardship?
The “End-of-Life” vehicle policy in Delhi has laid bare the complex challenges of environmental governance in a densely populated urban area, where the pursuit of cleaner air must navigate deeply entrenched socio-economic realities and political sensitivities.
Keep following AskAutoExpert for more such interesting news from the Auto world!
