In a significant development, the Delhi Government has formally requested the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to put on hold its directive mandating a ban on fuel supply to End-of-Life (EOL) vehicles starting July 1, 2025. The request was made through a letter written by Delhi’s Minister of Environment, Forest and Wildlife, Sardar Manjinder Singh Sirsa, citing serious technological and logistical challenges in the current enforcement plan.
Direction No. 89, issued by the CAQM on April 23, 2025, mandates denial of fuel to EOL vehicles in an effort to curb vehicular pollution. However, the Delhi Government argues that the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system, which is central to enforcing the order, is not yet adequately robust or integrated across the National Capital Region (NCR) to be effective or equitable.
The letter outlines several critical gaps, including technological Limitations, Lack of Integration, and Risk of Cross-Border Fuel Procurement.
According to letter, the ANPR systems installed at fuel stations in Delhi suffer from significant issues such as faulty sensors, non-functioning speakers, and poor camera placement. Additionally, the system faces challenges in identifying EOL vehicles with issues related to High Security Registration Plates (HSRP).
“The system is not fully linked with databases of neighboring NCR states, raising concerns about enforcement loopholes. Adjacent districts like Gurugram, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad have not yet started installing ANPR cameras, making unilateral implementation in Delhi ineffective and possibly counterproductive,” it stated.
A Delhi-only implementation could lead vehicle owners to procure fuel from neighboring districts, potentially encouraging an illegal cross-border fuel market and defeating the purpose of the directive.
In the letter, Sirsa emphasized the need for a practical, fair, and phased approach.
“We strongly urge the Commission to put the implementation of Direction No. 89 on hold with immediate effect,” he wrote, adding that such a system should be introduced only after seamless integration across the entire NCR region.
Sirsa reiterated Delhi’s commitment to improving air quality, citing ongoing initiatives under the Delhi Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025, including, plantation of 70 lakh trees and shrubs, Implementation of stricter Pollution Under Control (PUC) norms, Installation of anti-smog guns in high-rise buildings, Cleaning of roads using mechanized systems with integrated sprinklers, and Use of cloud seeding technologies and preventive SMS alerts for EOL vehicles.
The Delhi Government also expressed concerns about the impact on citizens’ livelihoods, particularly those dependent on older vehicles for their daily commute or work.
In an accompanying public statement, the government said it remains fully committed to controlling pollution but emphasized the need to balance environmental goals with the social and economic realities faced by millions of families.
The fuel restriction sparked an uproar among vehicle owners and experts, many of whom questioned the logic of an age-based ban.
As the capital continues to grapple with worsening air quality, this debate underscores the complex balance between environmental imperatives and on-the-ground feasibility in policy execution. All eyes are now on the CAQM’s response, which will likely determine the immediate course of vehicle pollution control in the NCR.
