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Overage vehicle fuel ban in Delhi put on hold, new rule to kick in from Nov 1

Overage vehicle fuel ban in Delhi put on hold, new rule to kick in from Nov 1
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New Delhi: In a significant policy shift, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has deferred the enforcement of its controversial order barring the refuelling of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in Delhi. The directive, which was originally set to take effect this month, will now be implemented from November 1, 2025, across six key districts of the National Capital Region (NCR), including Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat.

The decision was taken during a general meeting of the CAQM held on Tuesday afternoon, where representatives of all NCR states were present. Officials familiar with the matter said the panel reviewed the status of Direction 89, which bans the dispensing of fuel to 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles, following a formal request from Delhi’s Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa to postpone the rollout, citing serious technical and infrastructural limitations.

“This deferment gives the governments time to prepare enforcement mechanisms and align infrastructure. The direction will now take effect from November 1 in Delhi and five high-vehicle-density districts across NCR,” said a CAQM official.

The Delhi government has maintained that while it supports the fight against pollution, the ELV directive in its current form is difficult to execute in isolation. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reiterated this position over the weekend, confirming the administration’s intent to move the Supreme Court to seek clarity and relief.

Gupta highlighted the inconsistency of enforcing such a ban only in Delhi, while neighbouring NCR regions continue to permit the refuelling of similar vehicles. “Fuel stations in other parts of NCR will continue servicing ELVs. If Delhi alone imposes restrictions, it creates chaos rather than solving the pollution problem. The rules need to be uniform across the region,” she stated on Sunday.

Although the fuel ban has been pushed to November, existing restrictions on ELVs in Delhi remain unchanged. Based on prior Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT) rulings, 10-year-old diesel vehicles and 15-year-old petrol vehicles continue to be considered illegal within city limits. They are not allowed to be parked in public places, let alone operate on roads.

While the fuel dispensing restriction has been paused for now, the larger debate around how best to manage ageing vehicles remains unresolved. The Delhi government continues to argue that scrapping should be based on real-world emissions rather than arbitrary age limits, and it plans to raise these points before the Supreme Court in the coming weeks.

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