Cracking down on cars: Can Delhi's old vehicle fuel ban really clean its air?

India Today

2 days ago

Delhi's recent decision to ban diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years from refuelling in the city is being promoted as a bold step to curb air pollution, but experts warn the policy is unlikely to significantly reduce the city's toxic air—and may even miss the real drivers of pollution.While older vehicles do contribute a disproportionate share of particulate matter (PM2.5) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions, accounting for 28% and 41% respectively, this ban targets only a fraction of the overall pollution sources in the National Capital Region. advertisementDelhi's air pollution is a complex, multi-source problem, with major contributors including construction dust, industrial emissions, crop burning in neighbouring states, waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerators, and seasonal weather patterns that trap pollutants close to the ground.
A commuter rides past a notice stating fuel ban for end-of-life (EoL) vehicles under the directions of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), at a petrol pump in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)
Vehicle emissions are just one part of a much larger puzzle."In 2020, with the introduction of BS-VI standards, emissions have been reduced by 80% compared to BS-IV vehicles and by nearly 98% compared to BS-I vehicles. While the decision to not let end-of-life vehicles refuel in Delhi will curtail their operations, the issue lies in the mechanism with which the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate is issued," Vivek Chattopadyay, Sr Fellow, Air Pollution Control Program, CSE, told IndiaToday.in.advertisementHe added that the PUC does not test for particulate Matter 2.5 or Nitrogen oxides in vehicles, which need to be fixed to fix the pollution crisis.Currently, vehicles account for nearly 50% of PM2.5 emissions and 80% of NOx emissions, and that's from vehicles of all ages.Previous vehicle restriction experiments in Delhi, such as the odd-even car rationing scheme, produced only modest short-term improvements — a 10-13% drop in PM2.5 levels — before pollution levels rebounded, largely because other sources remained unaddressed and traffic patterns adjusted to the new rules.
Police personnel keep a vigil at a petrol pump after fuel ban for end-of-life (EoL) vehicles under the directions of Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), in New Delhi. (PTI Photo)
Moreover, bans focused solely on vehicle age do not account for actual emissions performance. Many older vehicles, if well-maintained or retrofitted, can pollute less than newer, poorly maintained ones.The current policy also risks pushing lower-income residents — who are more likely to own older vehicles — toward financial hardship, without providing affordable alternatives or robust public transport solutions.advertisementWith the city's air quality ranking among the worst worldwide, the Delhi government has struggled to find solutions, as citizens pay the price — losing an estimated 12 years of life expectancy to persistent air pollution.Delhi's air quality plans do include ambitious targets for electrifying public transport and expanding non-motorised mobility, but these efforts require far more integrated, systemic action and regional cooperation to be effective.Simply removing older vehicles, without tackling the broader sources or improving infrastructure, is unlikely to yield lasting air quality gains.Experts argue that a comprehensive approach — tightening inspection and maintenance regimes, accelerating the shift to cleaner fuels, enforcing construction and industrial emission standards, and addressing regional crop burning — is essential for meaningful, sustained improvements.Without such systemic reforms, vehicle bans risk being a symbolic gesture rather than a transformative solution for Delhi's air.- EndsMust Watch