In a major move to tackle air pollution, the Delhi government will implement a strict ban on refueling end-of-life (EOL) vehicles starting July 1. This applies to petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years, regardless of their registration state.
Nearly 500 fuel stations in Delhi are now equipped with Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. These cameras will automatically scan the number plates of entering vehicles and cross-check the data with the central VAHAN database to determine vehicle age and fuel type.
If identified as EOL, the vehicle will not be refueled. The system will also alert enforcement agencies, potentially triggering immediate impounding and fines.
According to officials, impounded vehicles will incur penalties of ₹10,000 for four-wheelers and ₹5,000 for two-wheelersplus towing and parking fees. The vehicle owner will also have to sign an undertaking confirming that the vehicle will not be used or parked in public areas within Delhi.
If the vehicle is to be taken out of Delhi, the owner must obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) within one year of its expiry date.
The anti-pollution initiative will expand to Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat starting November 1with ANPR cameras installed by October 31. Other NCR districts have until March 31, 2026to comply, with fuel bans starting April 1, 2026.
Additionally, the CAQM plans to roll out this mechanism at Delhi’s 156 entry pointstargeting buses and heavy goods vehicles as well.
Delhi alone has 6.2 million EOL vehiclesincluding 4.1 million two-wheelerswhile 4.4 million EOL vehicles exist in other NCR districts. Despite earlier Supreme Court and NGT orders, progress on removing these vehicles has been slow.
Officials have urged EOL vehicle owners to scrap their outdated vehicles and shift to electric vehicles or public transportationin line with Delhi’s clean air goals. The comprehensive enforcement, backed by 100 joint teamsmarks one of the most ambitious efforts yet to curb vehicular pollution in the capital.
