Nearly Half Of Delhi Car Owners Say ‘No’ To Fuel Ban On Older Vehicles

Come July 1, 2025, petrol pumps across Delhi will stop refuelling diesel cars older than 10 years and petrol cars over 15 years old — a strict new policy aimed at curbing the capital’s worsening air pollution. A new survey by LocalCircles reveals that 44% of car owners in Delhi oppose the move, citing that many of their vehicles are still in good condition and have low mileage.

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Another 7% remain undecided. The government’s decision, backed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), is part of a broader strategy to tackle toxic air in the capital, where pollution levels often rank among the world’s worst. To enforce the rule, cameras are being installed at fuel stations to monitor compliance. However, critics argue the policy might be unfair to law-abiding vehicle owners who paid for 15-year registrations but are now being told to retire their diesel vehicles after just a decade.

Public transport limitations are also a concern, with many questioning whether Delhi’s metro and bus network can handle the additional demand if older vehicles are phased out rapidly. Of the over 25,000 responses gathered from car owners across Delhi’s 11 districts, many are exploring ways around the rule. While 62% said they would sell their vehicles in other states or to second-hand dealers, 22% admitted they might look for workarounds — such as fuelling up in NCR towns like Gurgaon or transferring petrol from another vehicle.

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The fuel ban is expected to expand to NCR cities like Gurugram, Ghaziabad, and Noida by November 1, 2025, and to other districts by April 2026. How smoothly this transition happens remains to be seen.

(With inputs from PTI)