Daily Updates News 
New Delhi: In a major step to tackle air pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has approved a ban on old petrol and diesel vehicles in Delhi starting from July 1, 2025. Under this new directive, vehicles falling under the End-of-Life (EOL) category will no longer be allowed to purchase fuel in the city and will be seized and sent for scrapping.
Authorities explained that between June 1 and June 23, around 1.4 lakh vehicles have already been identified as EOL. In total, nearly 8.1 lakh such vehicles have been tracked. To enforce this, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed at 498 fuel stations — 382 for petrol and diesel, and 116 for CNG vehicles. However, officials clarified that older CNG vehicles will be exempt from this enforcement.
ANPR technology enables real-time monitoring of vehicle data, instantly providing details such as the vehicle’s age and category. CAQM member Virendra Sharma highlighted that this long-standing issue, first raised in 2015 and later in the Supreme Court in 2018, is finally being addressed with the support of advanced tracking systems.
According to research, older vehicles emit significantly more pollutants. For instance, a BS4 vehicle produces 5.5 times more emissions compared to a BS6 compliant one. As per government regulations, petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles over 10 years are categorized as EOL.
Delhi currently has over 80 lakh registered vehicles, of which nearly 62 lakh fall under the EOL category — including 41 lakh two-wheelers. Officials stated that a joint effort by the traffic police, transport department, and other agencies will ensure strict action against vehicles still running on outdated BSII and BSIII fuel norms. India presently follows the Bharat Stage VI (BSVI) emission standards.
To maintain order during the implementation, Delhi Police has also geared up. Ajay Chaudhary, Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic), assured that adequate measures will be taken to prevent any disruption at fuel stations and public areas.
Key Enforcement Measures:
- ANPR cameras will soon be installed at all 156 entry points into Delhi.
- EOL vehicles detected at fuel stations will be flagged, and enforcement teams will take immediate action.
- Additional police and PCR vans will be stationed near high-risk zones and hotspots.
- Petrol pump operators failing to comply will face penalties under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
- EOL vehicles found will be confiscated and scrapped in accordance with Delhi government’s RVSF guidelines.
This initiative will extend to other high-traffic NCR cities like Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Sonipat from November 1, while the remaining NCR districts will adopt these rules from April 1 next year.
