Delhi-NCR Fuel Ban Returns: What Vehicle Owners Need to Know

The Delhi government has reinstated its controversial fuel ban for end-of-life cars, starting November 1, 2025. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) stated that diesel cars older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years will be refused fuel across Delhi and five NCR areas, including Gurugram, Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Sonipat.

This decision comes after the ban was initially implemented on July 1, 2025, but was quickly lifted following huge public resistance. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had written to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, voicing worries about the middle-class cost of scrapping cars that may have low mileage despite their age.

The original ban featured automatic camera systems at fuel stops to identify car age, with traffic cops authorised to seize illegal vehicles. Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa had previously suggested plans for a new method regarding old cars, but the government has now chosen to return to the fuel limit approach.

The policy aims to fight automobile pollution in the National Capital Region, though it continues to face criticism for clashing with India's repair-not-replace attitude and putting financial difficulty on vehicle owners.

Source: India Today