Delhi Urges Hold on Fuel Ban for Overage Vehicles, Cites Tech and Enforcement Hurdles

New Delhi, July 3: The Delhi government has formally urged the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to suspend the fuel ban on overage vehicles, citing significant technological and logistical challenges in its implementation. The appeal comes just days after the ban, targeting diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years, took effect on July 1 under court orders.

Addressing reporters on Thursday, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the government stands with citizens who are distressed over the restrictions and is seeking an alternative approach. “We are trying to ensure that vehicles are not banned according to their age but based on the pollution they cause,” Sirsa explained.

Sirsa, in a letter to the CAQM chairperson, argued that enforcing the fuel ban is currently unfeasible due to issues with the automated number plate recognition (ANPR) systems installed at petrol stations. “There are technological inconsistencies, glitches in cameras, faulty sensors, and speaker malfunctions which hinder proper identification of overage vehicles, especially those without high-security registration plates,” the minister said.

Moreover, the system’s lack of integration with vehicle databases in neighbouring National Capital Region (NCR) states adds further complexity. Sirsa pointed out that without uniform enforcement across NCR cities like Gurugram, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad, vehicle owners could simply refuel outside Delhi, undermining the purpose of the ban.

The Transport Department and traffic police have been impounding end-of-life vehicles found at Delhi fuel pumps since July 1, but Sirsa warned that such efforts might prove counterproductive in the absence of a robust technological framework and inter-state cooperation.

The Delhi government has proposed several measures to combat air pollution, including a stricter Pollution Under Control (PUC) certification regime and systems to notify owners of overage vehicles well in advance to prepare for a phase-out.

“We strongly urge the Commission to put the implementation of its direction on hold with immediate effect till the ANPR system is seamlessly integrated across the entire NCR,” Sirsa said, emphasizing the need for a harmonized regional strategy.

He also criticized the previous AAP-led government for enforcing the overage vehicle ban instead of challenging the directive legally in court or before the National Green Tribunal.

The final decision now rests with the CAQM, which will weigh Delhi’s concerns against the pressing need to tackle vehicular pollution in the capital.