Delhi’s end-of-life vehicle policy rescinded two days after launch

Dubai: A recent initiative aimed at phasing out aged cars in Delhi has been temporarily halted after public dissent and operational difficulties created hurdles for the project. The policy was first enforced on July 1, and was paused just two days after its debut.

Authorities want to eliminate the use of old cars, citing environmental concerns, and began denying these vehicles fuel in an effort to prevent their usage.

Here’s what you need to know about this policy.

An end-of-life vehicle is typically described as a car that is now considered unfit for use.

The Delhi government listed their own specific criteria for this matter, singling out diesel-powered vehicles more than 10 years old and petrol-powered vehicles more than 15 years old to be taken away. Older cars are also prone to cause more environmental harm due to factors like outdated or broken technologies, such as a lack of up-to-date air filters.

As of March 2025, there were an estimated 6,114,728 overaged vehicles in Delhi, according to data from the CAQM.

The policy is directed towards bettering the air quality in the region, as it currently has some of the worst air pollution effects worldwide. The initiative is spearheaded by many local organisations including but not limited to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, and Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), among others.

In order to enforce this policy, authorities used tight surveillance both on major roadways, as well as in fuelling stations. A total of 24 vehicles were impounded on the first day, while 98 were caught on cameras, resulting in the issuance of 80 notices, according to the Press Trust of India.

However, public outcry, alongside inaccurate data and surveillance, has led to chaos since the policy went into effect.

This has prompted the Delhi government to issue an official letter to the CAQM citing their concerns. The letter comes directly from the Delhi Minister for Environment, Forest and Wild Life, Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

“We strongly urge the Commission to put the implementation of Direction No. 89 on hold with the immediate effect till the ANPR (Automated Number Plate Recognition) system is seamlessly integrated across the entire NCR,” the letter started.

The letter also emphasised that the government already has many existing initiatives aimed at reducing air pollution. This includes their target of planting 7 million tree/shrubs this year.

The public has given mixed reactions to the policy. Many praised the government for taking initiate to tackle the ongoing air pollution problem.

“The steps the government is taking for Delhi are good. Pollution caused by vehicles is high, so the steps being taken are good. If the vehicle is old, then it is the responsibility of the citizens to come forward. Similar steps should be taken in all metro cities…,” said one vehicle owner when talking to ANI.

However, on the flip side, others noted the procedure for this initiative as harsh.

“I bought a Scotty in 2017. The decision (not to give fuel to end-of-life vehicles) was wrong for those who cannot afford to buy a new vehicle. When I see a vehicle emitting pollution, I tell them to get their pollution certificate made, because we have to suffer because of them. So this decision of the government is good,” said another vehicle owner to ANI.