Delhi Denies Fuel to 62 Lakh Cars

By Sulagna Halder

New Delhi, 1 July 2025:

The Delhi government has started enforcing a historic environmental law that forbids older cars from refueling with gasoline and diesel in an effort to reduce the city's increasing air pollution. 

All diesel vehicles older than ten years and gasoline vehicles older than fifteen years, totaling approximately 62 lakh, will not be allowed to fill up at any gas station in the capital as of July 1. The action complies with a Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) directive. At 500–520 gas stations, state officials have implemented a comprehensive system. The majority of these stations have ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras, which instantly compare a vehicle's age with central VAHAN records.

After being flagged, overaged vehicles are denied fuel and reported right away to enforcement teams. In accordance with the regulations of the Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility, these vehicles may be impounded and sent for scrapping. The rollout is being managed by the Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation (DTIDC), in coordination with the Delhi Transport Department, Delhi Police, and municipal entities. In accordance with updated SOPs released in late June, about 200 enforcement teams are positioned at gas stations and prepared to take action. For weekly compliance reporting, these mandate that gas stations maintain fuel denial logs and prominently display signage.

To stop drivers from coming in just to refuel, officials say the ban is uniformly enforced, even for cars registered outside of Delhi. Notably, the policy has temporarily exempted older CNG vehicles. According to data from the Centre for Science and Environment, vehicle emissions account for more than half of Delhi's pollution, which is why the action was taken. However, associations representing gas stations have criticized the enforcement. There was "no dry run" for employees, little communication from authorities, and uncertainty regarding operational deployment at pumps, according to Nischal Singhania, president of the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association.

Drivers who refuel just outside the city limits have been accused of breaking the law. The ban's detractors contend that it unfairly targets vehicle age rather than current emissions standards or fitness certifications, and that it might place an excessive burden on families who depend on older but still functional vehicles. Delhi's leadership is unwavering in spite of reservations. Citing Supreme Court and CAQM directives, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta reaffirmed the policy's legal and environmental necessity. Only age based policies combined with ANPR enforcement, according to experts like Virinder Sharma of CAQM, will result in a significant decrease in pollution. 

For the time being, the prohibition is a daring move in Delhi's battle against persistent air pollution. In the coming weeks, its actual effects on the air quality in the capital, drivers, and neighboring states will become clear.