Fuel retailers welcome deferment of Delhi's fuel ban on overaged vehicles to Nov 1
Delhi Petrol Dealers' Association
(DPDA) welcomed the Centre's decision to defer the implementation of the fuel ban on end-of-life (EOL) or overaged vehicles in Delhi until November 1, stating the extension provides crucial time for infrastructure readiness and trial runs, PTI reports.
The move follows a decision by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to postpone the July 1 deadline for stopping fuel supply to diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. The delay comes amid appeals by stakeholders and the Delhi government, which cited operational and infrastructural challenges in enforcing the rule.
"This delay will allow the government to address technical issues and carry out trial runs at petrol pumps. They can now test positioning of cameras, announcement systems, and other processes," said Nischal Singhania, President of DPDA.
A stricter enforcement of rules
As part of enforcement, fuel stations in Delhi have installed
Automated Number Plate Recognition
(ANPR) cameras to identify EOL vehicles through the VAHAN database. If flagged, these vehicles will be denied fuel, and the violation will be reported to enforcement agencies.
The fuel ban is now expected to take effect from November 1 not only in Delhi but also in five high-vehicle-density neighbouring districts: Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat.
Still confusing for the public
Public sentiment remains divided. While resident welfare groups support anti-pollution measures, they advocate for strengthening the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certification system over arbitrary vehicle age bans.
'This blanket term of 'end-of-life' without a pollution check isn't fair. We need a robust and transparent PUC system to ensure only non-polluting vehicles stay on the roads,' said B.S. Vohra, President of East Delhi RWAs.
Meanwhile, Saurabh Gandhi of United Residents of Delhi added, 'We support the initiative, but it must be fair and practical. A cleaner Delhi is everyone's priority.'
The installation of ANPR cameras across NCR districts is scheduled to be completed by October 31, paving the way for stricter enforcement starting November.
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