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NDTV
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Day 1 Of Delhi's Old Vehicle Fuel Ban: Tech Gaps Exposed, 80 Vehicles Seized
New Delhi: At a petrol pump in Mayur Vihar Phase 3, tempers flared. "Aap mujhe fuel dena hi nahi chahte. (You don't want to give me fuel). My vehicle is well maintained," shouted a scooter rider in frustration as his vehicle was denied service because it was outdated. Another man, confused by the signage, asked a station attendant if the ban applied to him. Meanwhile, a traffic inspector examined vehicle number plates one by one, while ensuring the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera was fully functional at the fuel station. The first day of Delhi's landmark ban on refuelling End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles had enforcement teams fanned out across the capital, armed with data from the VAHAN vehicle registry and real-time surveillance feeds. By sunset, 80 vehicles had been seized - 67 two-wheelers, 12 cars, and a few light commercial vehicles - for violating the new norms that bar petrol and diesel supply to petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles over 10 years old. Fuel Stations Become Flashpoints From East Delhi's Ghazipur to the congested pumps near Uttam Nagar, 520 fuel stations were the focal point of enforcement. At each, an ANPR camera linked to the central VAHAN database scanned number plates for violations. But the transition wasn't smooth. "Hum logon ko training nahi mila, sirf bola gaya camera lagao. Ab yeh camera kis basis pe gaadi rokta hai, kis ko mana karein-clear nahi hai (We haven't been trained for this. We have just been asked to install the cameras. It's not clear how these cameras stop old vehicles and who we should stop)," admitted a fuel attendant in Mayur Vihar, asking not to be named. In Ghazipur, where pollution levels often breach critical levels, a major fuel outlet lacked an ANPR sensor, a serious lapse flagged by CAQM monitors. "We have the camera installed, but the sensor will be put up soon. The first one got blown away in the wind during heavy rain," said a staff member. Dr Virendra Sharma, a Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) official, said, "We've already scanned over 3.63 crore vehicles via ANPR during the trial. Of these, 4.9 lakh have been flagged as EoL. This isn't just seasonal enforcement-it's a long-term transition". Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has called it a "strict measure" to curb vehicular emissions, which contribute 28% of PM2.5, 41% of sulfur dioxide, and 78% of nitrogen oxide emissions in the NCR. On-Ground Enforcement: Tough But Uneven Transport Inspector Satveer Rao, stationed in East Delhi, led one of 100 active enforcement squads. He told NDTV, "We impounded 6 vehicles today in our zone. Some owners were aware but took the risk. Others genuinely had no idea. We're making them sign undertakings never to operate these again. But eol vehicles in Delhi have reduced in number over the years". Rao showed a printed VAHAN check report on his phone - the tool inspectors now carry to cross-verify flagged vehicles in real-time. Yet, he conceded the challenge: "ANPR data comes with a 10-15 second delay. By then, some vehicles are gone. We're doing our best, but physical stops remain essential." Fines issued ranged between Rs 5,000- Rs 10,000, with additional charges for towing and storage. Voices From The Ground On the other side of the law were voices like Mukesh Yadav, a two-wheeler rider, "Meri bike 2010 ki hai. I know it's old, but it runs well. Still, I agree-pollution is too much. I'll buy a new one soon." He easily got fuel without any resistance as the fuel station staff members were unaware of the ban. Another rider, visibly upset after being denied fuel, countered: "PUCC test kara lo, fine le lo-par chalti bike ko rokna sahi nahi hai. Gaadi chalti hai, pollution kam hai. Toh kyun ban?" A car owner in Ashok Vihar added, "I had no clue until I read the board. More awareness is needed. But I support the move. Delhi's air is a gas chamber." ANPR Tech: A Digital Eye with Blind Spots The ANPR system has been positioned as the enforcement backbone. Each camera scans license plates, cross-verifies with the VAHAN database, and triggers alerts for flagged vehicles. "There's often a delay between plate recognition and data match," explains Anil Chhikara, former Deputy Commissioner, Delhi Transport told NDTV. "By the time the pump attendant receives the alert, the vehicle may have already fueled and left." He argues for better hardware-software integration and real-time dashboard alerts at fuel pumps: "Fuel station staff need simple alerts-green for go, red for stop. Expecting manual verification won't work at busy stations with hundreds of vehicles per hour." Officer's Bigger Worry: The Scrapping Vacuum With 62 lakh EoL vehicles in Delhi alone, Mr Chhikara believes that blanket bans without parallel infrastructure could backfire. "We have too few authorised scrapping centres, and Delhi doesn't allow them due to zoning laws. Most owners must travel to Haryana or UP. That's not sustainable." Illegal scrapping hubs like Mayapuri further muddy the waters. "Old cars are stripped and parts sold under the table. Worse, these vehicles are sometimes used in crimes or returned to owners illegally," he warns. He is pushing for the expansion of Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) in NCR, legalisation of scrapping units in Delhi's industrial zones and stricter monitoring of informal dismantling markets. Compensation: The Missing Piece Perhaps the most under-addressed issue is financial relief. "People paid lifetime road tax-15 years' worth. Now their vehicle is worthless. They deserve something in return," Mr Chhikara insists. Currently, the Vehicle Scrappage Policy offers just 4-6 per cent of the cost of a new vehicle as an incentive. Mr Chhikara recommends: GST waivers or cash rebates for scrapping old vehicles. Road tax refunds for owners surrendering valid permits early. Conversion subsidies for retrofitting to electric kits or cleaner fuel. Inter-State Vehicles: The Grey Zone Another wrinkle involves out-of-state vehicles entering Delhi. "A Haryana car headed to Uttarakhand might pass through Delhi and be impounded without warning," says Mr Chhikara. "We need a special law-either temporary No Objection Certificates (NOCs) or a geo-fenced grace system." Delhi is the first region in NCR to roll out the EoL fuel ban. But by November 1, 2025, neighbouring cities like Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad will come under similar rules. Without interstate policy coordination, experts warn of massive commuter disruptions and legal disputes. A Step Forward-But Not the Final One Delhi's bold move to enforce the End-of-Life vehicle fuel ban is a critical pivot in its war against pollution. But as Day 1 has shown, good intent isn't enough. The system needs individual ownership and stringent enforcement.
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Business Standard
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- Business Standard
Delhi to impound old vehicles at fuel stations starting July 1: CAQM
End-of-life vehicles detected at fuel stations or found parked at public places will be impounded and a penalty of ₹10,000 imposed on four-wheeler owners and ₹5,000 on two-wheeler owners starting July 1, officials said on Friday. EOL vehicles are diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. Irrespective of the states they are registered in, they will not be given fuel in Delhi starting July 1, according to directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) earlier. Around 500 fuel stations in Delhi have installed Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to detect EOL vehicles. "When a vehicle enters a fuel station, a special (ANPR) camera will read its number plate. This number will be instantly checked with the central VAHAN database, which will show details like the vehicle's age, fuel type and registration. If the vehicle is found to be EOL, it will be flagged as an EOL vehicle. The system will alert the fuel station staff not to refuel it. The violation will be recorded and sent to enforcement agencies, who may then take action, such as impounding and scrapping the vehicle," Virendra Sharma, Member (Technical), CAQM, said. Delhi Transport Commissioner Niharika Rai said any EOL vehicle detected at the fuel stations will be impounded on the spot. To discourage their use, penalties have been set for owners of impounded vehicles. Four-wheeler owners will be fined ₹10,000, while those who own two-wheelers will have to pay ₹5,000, along with towing and parking charges, the CAQM said. Also, the owners must submit an undertaking stating that the vehicles will not be used or parked at any public place and will be removed from Delhi's jurisdiction, it said. Enforcement agencies will carry out regular drives to remove EOL vehicles from public places in Delhi and send daily reports to the environment department for submission to the CAQM, Sharma said. If an EOL vehicle is found on the road or parked in a public area, it will be seized and a seizure memo issued. All such impounded vehicles will be sent to a registered vehicle scrapping facility (RVSF). If the owner wants to move the vehicle out of Delhi, he must get a no-objection certificate (NOC) within a year of the vehicle's expiry date, officials said. Rai said the fuel stations violating the directions during the trial run of the ANPR system have been identified. "We will deploy a team comprising transport and traffic police officials at each of these fuel stations. They will ensure that there is no law-and-order problem while implementing the system," the official said. The mechanism will be rolled out in five high-vehicle-density districts adjoining Delhi -- Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar and Sonipat -- from November 1, with the installation of ANPR cameras to be completed by October 31. The remaining NCR districts have been given time till March 31, 2026, to install the cameras, with fuel denial for EOL vehicles starting April 1, 2026. Officials also said the CAQM will soon issue an order to implement the mechanism at Delhi's 156 entry points for EOL vehicles as well as for buses and other heavy goods vehicles. Sharma said around 100 enforcement teams comprising officials from the traffic and transport departments have been set up. Strict action will be taken against the fuel stations found flouting the directions under relevant legal provisions, he said. The CAQM shared that there are 6.2 million EOL vehicles in Delhi, of which 4.1 million are two-wheelers. The total number of EOL vehicles in the other National Capital Region (NCR) districts is around 4.4 million, and these are largely concentrated in the five high-density cities. The directions come amid poor progress in removing old, polluting vehicles from the NCR despite previous orders from the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal. Assistant Regional Transport Officer (Enforcement), Gautam Budh Nagar, Udit Narayan Pandey, said, "The CAQM has issued an important order to promote pollution control and clean air, under which from November 1, 15-year-old petrol vehicles and 10-year-old diesel vehicles will not be provided fuel at petrol pumps in Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad." He added that the rule will apply to 0.208 million vehicles registered in Gautam Budh Nagar. Pandey appealed to the owners of EOL vehicles to scrap the vehicles and opt for alternative arrangements, such as buying environment-friendly electric vehicles or using public transport.
Hindustan Times
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
EOL vehicles will be impounded at fuel stations from July 1: CAQM
New Delhi/Noida, End-of-life vehicles detected at fuel stations or found parked at public places will be impounded and a penalty of ₹ 10,000 imposed on four-wheeler owners and ₹ 5,000 on two-wheeler owners starting July 1, officials said on Friday. EOL vehicles will be impounded at fuel stations from July 1: CAQM EOL vehicles are diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. Irrespective of the states they are registered in, they will not be given fuel in Delhi starting July 1, according to directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management earlier. Around 500 fuel stations in Delhi have installed Automated Number Plate Recognition cameras to detect EOL vehicles. "When a vehicle enters a fuel station, a special camera will read its number plate. This number will be instantly checked with the central VAHAN database, which will show details like the vehicle's age, fuel type and registration. If the vehicle is found to be EOL, it will be flagged as an EOL vehicle. The system will alert the fuel station staff not to refuel it. The violation will be recorded and sent to enforcement agencies, who may then take action, such as impounding and scrapping the vehicle," Virendra Sharma, Member , CAQM, said. Delhi Transport Commissioner Niharika Rai said any EOL vehicle detected at the fuel stations will be impounded on the spot. To discourage their use, penalties have been set for owners of impounded vehicles. Four-wheeler owners will be fined ₹ 10,000, while those who own two-wheelers will have to pay ₹ 5,000, along with towing and parking charges, the CAQM said. Also, the owners must submit an undertaking stating that the vehicles will not be used or parked at any public place and will be removed from Delhi's jurisdiction, it said. Enforcement agencies will carry out regular drives to remove EOL vehicles from public places in Delhi and send daily reports to the environment department for submission to the CAQM, Sharma said. If an EOL vehicle is found on the road or parked in a public area, it will be seized and a seizure memo issued. All such impounded vehicles will be sent to a registered vehicle scrapping facility . If the owner wants to move the vehicle out of Delhi, he must get a no-objection certificate within a year of the vehicle's expiry date, officials said. Rai said the fuel stations violating the directions during the trial run of the ANPR system have been identified. "We will deploy a team comprising transport and traffic police officials at each of these fuel stations. They will ensure that there is no law-and-order problem while implementing the system," the official said. The mechanism will be rolled out in five high-vehicle-density districts adjoining Delhi Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar and Sonipat from November 1, with the installation of ANPR cameras to be completed by October 31. The remaining NCR districts have been given time till March 31, 2026, to install the cameras, with fuel denial for EOL vehicles starting April 1, 2026. Officials also said the CAQM will soon issue an order to implement the mechanism at Delhi's 156 entry points for EOL vehicles as well as for buses and other heavy goods vehicles. Sharma said around 100 enforcement teams comprising officials from the traffic and transport departments have been set up. Strict action will be taken against the fuel stations found flouting the directions under relevant legal provisions, he said. The CAQM shared that there are 62 lakh EOL vehicles in Delhi, of which 41 lakh are two-wheelers. The total number of EOL vehicles in the other National Capital Region districts is around 44 lakh and these are largely concentrated in the five high-density cities. The directions come amid poor progress in removing old, polluting vehicles from the NCR despite previous orders from the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal. Assistant Regional Transport Officer , Gautam Budh Nagar, Udit Narayan Pandey, said, "The CAQM has issued an important order to promote pollution control and clean air, under which from November 1, 15-year-old petrol vehicles and 10-year-old diesel vehicles will not be provided fuel at petrol pumps in Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad." He added that the rule will apply to 2.08 lakh vehicles registered in Gautam Budh Nagar. Pandey appealed to the owners of EOL vehicles to scrap the vehicles and opt for alternative arrangements, such as buying environment-friendly electric vehicles or using public transport. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
India Today
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- India Today
From July 1, some vehicles in Delhi won't get fuel at petrol pumps
From July 1, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years will not be able to refuel in Delhi, even if registered in other Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced the new regulation on Friday to help combat air pollution in the CHANGING? The CAQM had earlier instructed fuel stations to stop selling fuel to end-of-life (EOL) vehicles from July 1. These rules apply to all EOL vehicles, not just those registered in Delhi. 'People often register their vehicles outside Delhi to avoid these rules, but this will now be discouraged,' said Virendra Sharma, a technical member of has installed Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at 500 out of 520 fuel stations. The rest will be ready by June 30. These cameras will scan vehicle number plates to check their age through the VAHAN database. If the vehicle is too old, an alert will be sent to the control room and enforcement HAPPENS IF AN OLD VEHICLE IS DETECTED?If caught, the vehicle may be impounded or sent for scrapping under the Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) Rules. Fuel stations are required to deny fuel to such vehicles. Officials warn that any station ignoring the rule will face legal JUST DELHI: NCR CITIES NEXTFrom November 1, the same system will be introduced in five high-traffic NCR cities: Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat. All fuel stations in these cities must install ANPR cameras by October 31. The rest of NCR has until March 31, 2026, with fuel bans starting from April 1, THIS MOVE?Delhi has around 62 lakh old vehicles, including 41 lakh two-wheelers. Across the NCR, the total is around 44 lakh. These older vehicles are a major source of air pollution. Despite earlier orders by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, the removal of old vehicles has been very enforce this, 100 teams made up of traffic police and transport officials have been deployed. They will use road surveillance and smart traffic systems to track down violators. This strict rule is one of the biggest steps taken in Delhi-NCR to fight air pollution caused by ageing inputs from PTI
India Gazette
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- India Gazette
No fuel for end-of-life vehicles in Delhi from July 1: CAQM
New Delhi [India], June 21 (ANI): From July 1, all End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles identified through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras installed at fuel stations across Delhi will not be allowed to refuel, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). According to the CAQM, this enforcement will extend to Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat from November 1, while the rest of the National Capital Region (NCR) will implement the restriction from April 1, 2026. CAQM's member Dr Virendra Sharma said ANPR cameras have been installed at 500 fuel stations across Delhi, enabling real-time recording and tracking of vehicle data. To date, 3.63 crore vehicles have been screened through this system, of which 4.90 lakh vehicles have been identified as End-of-Life (EoL). He added that 29.52 lakh vehicles have renewed their Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC), resulting in the generation of challans amounting to Rs 168 crores. To strengthen enforcement, 100 dedicated teams from the Transport Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, are actively monitoring vehicle data to identify fuel stations with the highest number of EoL vehicles and ensure targeted compliance action. Dr Sharma said, 'It is very important to remove old BS standard vehicles to clean the air of Delhi and NCR. These vehicles play a big role in air pollution. Now that a transparent, digital and accountable system is in place, it will also be used at toll centres to make this system more effective. About 100 enforcement teams will work for this.' ANPR cameras have been installed at fuel stations to capture and read license plate numbers in real-time. As a vehicle enters the station, the ANPR system captures its license plate and instantly cross-verifies it with a centralised 'VAHAN' database containing registration details, fuel type, and the vehicle's age. If the system detects that the vehicle exceeds the permissible age limit--10 years for diesel and 15 years for petrol vehicles in Delhi--it is flagged as EoL. Once flagged, the system alerts the fuel station operator to deny refuelling, and the violation is logged and shared with enforcement agencies for further action. Further actions include impounding and scrapping the EoL vehicle. (ANI)
