Fuel ban for end-of-life vehicles kicks in Delhi on Tuesday

Govt depts to ensure strict compliance

New Delhi: Petrol pumps across Delhi will no longer provide fuel to end-of-life (EoL) vehicles starting July 1 under the directions of Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), with the Transport Department along with the Delhi Police and traffic personnel putting in place a detailed enforcement strategy to ensure strict compliance.

In a major step to curb vehicular pollution, authorities are gearing up for strict enforcement from Tuesday under the directions of the CAQM. The Transport Department has chalked out a detailed deployment plan involving personnel from its organisation, Delhi Police, Traffic Police and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

The Transport Department has finalised its deployment strategy for enforcement squads while MCD teams will also be deployed at the fuel stations. Delhi Police personnel will be deployed in fuel stations numbered 1 to 100 while the Transport Department will mobilise 59 exclusive teams across fuel stations numbered 101 to 159.

One traffic police officer will be stationed at each of the 350 identified petrol pumps to monitor and prevent the refuelling of vehicles that have exceeded their prescribed lifespan -- 10 years for diesel vehicles and 15 years for petrol vehicles.

"Our traffic personnel will ensure that the vehicle is impounded and a challan is issued to the owner of the ELVs (end-of-life vehicles)," a senior police officer said.

Two additional police personnel will be deployed at each petrol pump to maintain law and order during the enforcement drive.

"Two police personnel will maintain law and order. No one will be allowed to breach law and order during the drive," the officer added.

The CAQM had earlier issued this directive as part of its broader mandate to improve Delhi's deteriorating air quality.

Additionally, the Delhi government issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on June 17 to enforce the ban on refuelling EoL vehicles. The SOPs mandate that all petrol pumps must maintain a log, either manual or digital, of all denied fuel transactions involving such vehicles, officials said.

According to the CAQM directive, all EoL vehicles -- including diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years -- will be prohibited from being refuelled in Delhi beginning July 1, regardless of their state of registration.

The SOPs specify that fuel stations must prominently display signage stating "Fuel will not be dispensed to End of Life Vehicles — i.e. 15 years old Petrol and CNG and 10 years old Diesel 01.07.2025." Petrol stations have also been directed to train their staff on CAQM regulations and compliance procedures for denying fuel to the EoL vehicles.

"Maintain a log (manual or digital) of denial transactions to End of Life Vehicles for reporting on a weekly basis to the Transport Department at transport.delhi.gov.in," the SOP states.

The Delhi Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation (DTIDC) has been tasked with ensuring the effective functioning of Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera systems installed at the fuel stations.

"These systems shall capture and display the registration details of all vehicles entering the fuelling station premises and identify the EoL vehicles in real-time," the SOP further notes.

The department has also been directed to initiate immediate legal action against the identified EoL vehicles, including their impounding and disposal. Fuel stations violating these norms will be reported weekly to the CAQM and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for further action.

Non-compliance by fuel station operators may attract penalties under Section 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

A 2018 Supreme Court judgment had banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi. A 2014 National Green Tribunal (NGT) order also prohibits the parking of vehicles aged over 15 years in public places.