Delhi Government Revokes Fuel Ban On Old Petrol And Diesel Vehicles After Heavy Public Backlash

In an attempt to curb vehicular pollution, the Delhi government had imposed a ban on refuelling petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years. The rule came into effect on July 1, 2025, and affected over 62 lakh vehicles, including cars, bikes, trucks, and even vintage vehicles.

However, this move faced heavy public backlash, resulting in the Delhi government putting the rule on hold. Delhi Chief Minister, Rekha Gupta, said that the government has written to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to put a stay on the rule. Here’s what really went wrong:

What Exactly Happened? 

Following the imposition of this ban, the fuel pumps in Delhi refused to refuel the old age vehicles as detected through automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. 

This rule affected many vehicles by refusing them fuel at petrol pumps in Delhi. This has caused panic among vehicle owners, many of whom were unaware their cars had crossed the legal age.

The Delhi Transport Department seized over a dozen cars and 60 two-wheelers on the very first day alone.

What Happens To The Vehicles Seized?

Now that the rule has been paused, if you had your vehicle seized, here’s how you can recover it:

• You need to first submit an application to the Transport Department and get your vehicle ownership document verified by the Scrapping Cell.

• You need to state whether you plan to shift the vehicle outside Delhi-NCR (you’ll need an NOC) or park it privately within Delhi (you must provide proof of parking). 

• If your vehicle is registered outside Delhi, you need to explain why it was brought to the city.

• Before you collect a receive order, you need to pay a fine, which is Rs 10,000 for cars and Rs 5,000 for two/three wheelers.

• However, after recovery, you are not allowed to use the vehicle in Delhi anymore. It must be either relocated or kept off the public roads. 

What are your thoughts on this move by the Delhi Government? Let us know in the comments.

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