Breathing easier: Delhi’s drive against ELVs takes off with fuel ban and scrapping drive

Delhi’s crackdown on end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) began Tuesday morning, with fuel stations across the city denying petrol and diesel to vehicles past their legal age. From 6 am, Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at 383 fuel pumps began screening vehicles to flag diesel ones over 10 years old and petrol ones over 15 years old.

Flagged vehicles were seized on the spot, with violations registered against their owners. The vehicle data will be shared with enforcement agencies for further action, depending on the nature of the offence. In the case of older diesel vehicles, this typically involves immediate impoundment and transfer to a registered scrapping facility. Owners will be compensated as per the official guidelines.

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Experts have welcomed the move to accelerate the removal of older vehicles running on pre-Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) engines, which are known to contribute significantly to Delhi’s worsening air pollution.

“This is a positive step that restricts the movement of outdated vehicles in the capital, helping address pollution concerns,” said Amit Bhatt, Managing Director (India) at the International Council on Clean Transportation. “Several studies have shown that pre-BS VI vehicles emit substantially higher levels of pollutants. Measures like this can help arrest emissions in the near term.”

However, Bhatt also pointed out that even BS-VI-compliant vehicles tend to emit more pollutants in real-world conditions than they do under laboratory testing. “The only long-term solution is a complete transition to electric vehicles,” he added. “That shift cannot happen overnight. So, interim steps that reduce emissions — like this one — are necessary and should be appreciated.”

Many Delhiites lauded the move, saying it could help improve air quality. However, they urged the government to ensure smooth implementation to avoid law-and-order issues at fuel stations.

“The ban on fuel for overage vehicles could lead to clashes between petrol pump staff and vehicle owners. The government should consider deploying police personnel at fuel stations, at least for the first few days, to prevent any untoward incidents,” said Aman, a 37-year-old professional from East Delhi.

Sushil Kumar, a 50-year-old resident of Wazirabad, acknowledged the benefits of retiring older vehicles but hoped the government would also consider the financial impact on owners. “Phasing out outdated vehicles allows manufacturers to bring in innovative technologies, which are constantly evolving. But as a common citizen, I feel the government should offer some relief, in the form of tax breaks or subsidies, so that people who’ve made significant investments in their vehicles don’t suffer financially due to shortened vehicle life,” he said.

Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bharadwaj criticised the government’s implementation of the ban, calling it impractical and likely to create conflict at fuel stations between customers and petrol pump workers. “Didn’t they have any other way of stopping old vehicles? Associations of Petrol pump owners say this is an impractical move. They’re not running a government — it feels more like Phulera’s panchayat,” he told a news agency.

Tuesday’s action follows a directive issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on April 23, which aims to curb pollution in the capital by restricting the operation of ELVs. The move aligns with earlier orders by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) (2015) and the Supreme Court (2018), which had called for the removal of overage vehicles from Delhi’s roads. However, enforcement had remained weak due to the lack of supporting infrastructure — particularly ANPR systems — which are now fully functional as of July 1.