Latest news with #DelhiPetrolDealersAssociation
Indian Express
04-07-2025
- Indian Express
Fuel ban on old vehicles: Dealers oppose clause to penalise petrol pump owners, move Delhi HC
The Delhi Petrol Dealers Association and a petrol pump from Yamuna Vihar have moved the Delhi High Court challenging a May 13 order issued by the Delhi government, which was followed by a detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) issued on June 17, putting the onus on petrol pumps to ensure that no fuel is provided to end-of-life vehicles in the Capital. Justice Mini Pushkarna on Wednesday sought a response from the Delhi Transport Department and the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas in this regard. The court will hear the matter next on September 8. The petitioners have objected to a clause, which seeks to prosecute and penalise petrol pump or fuel station owners under Section 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, if found to be in contravention of the government's stipulations for not providing fuel to end-of-life vehicles. Highlighting that they are' not fundamentally opposed' to the government's directions restricting fuel supply to the end-of-life vehicles, and are otherwise 'willing to extend all forms of cooperation', the petitioners submitted their only objection is to the 'excessive, irrational and disproportionate liability being fastened upon them by way of seeking to prosecute and penalise them under Section 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, even in situations where non-compliance may be due to sheer inadvertence'. They submitted that the government's order and SOP have 'burdened the petrol pump owners and their attendants, with the additional responsibility of implementing the said rule without them being necessarily equipped or authorised under any law to carry out such a responsibility'. They further said that the orders are 'arbitrary, irrational, unreasonable and disproportionate for the reason that they seek to penalise the petrol pump owners for acts which may arise from sheer inadvertence and for reasons which are beyond the control of the petrol pump owners and their attendants'.
Hindustan Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Delhi HC notice on plea over fine on fuel station owners
The Delhi high court on Wednesday issued a notice in response to a petition challenging the Delhi government's order penalising petrol pump owners for refuelling end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), which are banned in the city as part of efforts to reduce air pollution. On June 17, the government also issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) to enforce the ban. (Shutterstock) The Delhi government's May 13 order directed all fuel stations in the city not to dispense fuel to petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years. Any violation of the ban, the order said, would attract penalties under Section 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act, which would entail a fine of ₹ 5,000 for the first offence and imprisonment up to one year or fine of ₹ 10,000 for the second offence. On June 17, the government also issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) to enforce the ban. The SOPs required all fuel stations to maintain logs—manual or digital—of denied transactions and display signage informing customers of the ban, which formally came into effect on July 1. However, the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association filed a petition arguing that fuel station owners are being unfairly saddled with enforcement responsibilities without being given the legal authority to do so. The association claimed that these duties amount to public law enforcement and are beyond the scope of private entities operating under licenses from oil marketing companies. 'By forcing such petrol pump owners to perform law enforcement duties, the impugned orders are undermining the Rule of Law which dictates that it is the ultimate responsibility of the State to prevent any illegal activity,' the petition stated. It further argued that the government's move is 'manifestly arbitrary, irrational, unreasonable, and disproportionate,' as pump owners could be penalised for mistakes or oversights that may be out of their control. A bench led by Justice Mini Pushkarna sought responses from the Delhi government and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and posted the matter for further hearing in September. The court's intervention comes amid heightened scrutiny over the implementation of vehicle emission norms in Delhi-NCR, with the ELV fuel ban seen as a key strategy in reducing vehicular pollution.
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
On Day 2 of fuel restriction drive, Delhi impounds fewer end-of-life vehicles
New Delhi: Only seven vehicles were impounded in the city on Wednesday, the second day of the drive to deny fuel to end-of-life vehicles (ELV). The vehicles are later sent to registered vehicle-scrapping facilities. Sources in the transport department said another 78 vehicles were found overaged but were not impounded as they had no-objection certificates. The figures were a sharp dip from Tuesday's numbers, when 80 vehicles were impounded. Nischal Singhania, president of Delhi Petrol Dealers Association, said it was a very dull day at petrol pumps. "In general, the number of vehicles was also less, and hardly any overaged vehicles came." You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi He said technological issues seen on the first day were largely sorted Wednesday, but the camera placements need to be improved. Another petrol pump owner said, "If out of 60 vehicles, we are catching just seven on the second day, then there is a need for a rethink. Are we investing our resources in the right direction?" "We all want polluted vehicles to go off the road, but overage vehicles are not always the most polluted ones if they are being maintained properly. On the other hand, a new vehicle, if not serviced properly, will end up causing more pollution," he noted. There is a need to see if the number of overage vehicles taking fuel from NCR has increased, he added. The estimated population of overage vehicles until March 2025 in Delhi is over 60. In 2023, over 22,000 vehicles were impounded while in 2024, more than 39,000 were seized and sent for scrapping. On Monday, enforcement teams seized 80 vehicles that exceeded the permissible age limit. According to senior officials, this included 67 two-wheelers, 12 four-wheelers and the remaining of other categories. The drive will continue as per CAQM instructions, they said. Following an announcement that all ELVs would not only be denied fuel in Delhi but also be impounded and taken for scrapping from July 1, all fuel pumps have been equipped with technology to identify petrol-run vehicles older than 15 years and diesel-run vehicles older than 10 years. Vehicles running on CNG are exempted from action. ANPR cameras have been installed at 382 fuel stations, enabling real-time recording and tracking of vehicle data through a centralised database. Within microseconds of reading a vehicle's numberplate at a filling station, ANPR matches it with Vahan data and detects ELVs.
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Business Standard
02-07-2025
- Business Standard
Delhi HC to hear petrol dealers' plea against ELV refuelling fines
The Delhi High Court has agreed to hear a plea filed by the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association (DPDA) challenging the fines and legal action imposed on petrol pump owners for supplying fuel to vehicles classified as End of Life Vehicles (ELVs). The court, while agreeing to hear the case on Wednesday, sought responses from the Delhi government and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The matter will now be heard in September. In its petition, the DPDA stated that the Delhi government's directive—barring fuel stations from serving diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years—imposes 'the responsibility of implementing the said rule without them being necessarily equipped or authorised under any law to carry out such responsibility'. 'By forcing such petrol pump owners to perform law enforcement duties, the impugned orders are undermining the Rule of Law, which dictates that it is the ultimate responsibility of the State to prevent any illegal activity, and that non-State actors cannot be allowed to take the place of law or the law-enforcing agency,' the association argued in its plea. Effective July 1, the Delhi government implemented a complete halt on the refuelling of ELVs, aiming to curb vehicular pollution and phase out older, high-emission vehicles from city roads. The association also stated that even state authorities have, in the past, struggled to enforce the rule preventing ELVs from entering Delhi or obtaining fuel. Regarding the Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras—intended to detect ELVs in real time and trigger an audio message denying fuel—the DPDA said these systems 'have not even been tested or tried, and the petrol pump owners are completely in the dark as to their efficiency and accuracy'. 'Further, in a situation where a petrol pump faces an average footfall of about 3,000 vehicles a day, purchasing fuel from multiple dispensing units simultaneously, the possibility of inadvertence due to such volume cannot be ruled out,' the association told the High Court. It added that despite the possibility of such inadvertent breaches—or the inability of pump owners to comply fully with the directive—they are 'being met with a disproportionate and unreasonable penalty of prosecution' by state government authorities.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Ban Order: Lack Of Equipment Fuels Concern
New Delhi: From his elevated office platform at the petrol pump near Anand Vihar railway station, Nischal Singhania observes incoming vehicles while contemplating what it would be like on Tuesday, when restrictions on refuelling by end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) kick in. Although he has briefed his staff about the process, he remains concerned, particularly because the required gear, including speakers, hasn't been installed yet. Delhi govt is geared up to prohibit ELVs from getting fuel at the city refilling stations. Enforcement teams comprising officials of the transport department, municipal corporation and traffic police will be at hand to impound such vehicles —diesel engines more than 10 years old and petrol cars older than 15 years. Singhania, who is also president of Delhi Petrol Dealers Association (DPDA), said, "We will begin the enforcement tomorrow but till now, there was no dry run. So, I do not know where the enforcement teams will bestationed. There is no communication from the authorities yet." Singhania said that the pumps could deny ELVs fuel, but couldn't impound them, which is the job of the enforcement teams. "We only hope there are no unruly scenes at fuel pumps," he said. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi A senior govt official claimed that by Monday evening, things had been ironed out, and fuel dealers had been informed about enforcement teams to be stationed at their outlets. He said 380 teams had been formed, covering all the refilling stations in the capital. Each outlet would have two automatic number plate recognition cameras that would capture the registration plates and match with centralised data to identify vehicles exceeding their permitted age. Signboards would be prominently displayed, saying, "Fuel will not be dispensed to end-of-life vehicles. By order: Delhi govt." Another official revealed that one team would be deployed at fuel stations with one officer empowered to impound and fine ELVs. The standard operating procedures issued to the pump owners said that there would be "immediate legal action by enforcement teams" when ELVs were identified. This would include "impounding and disposal in accordance with Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility Rules and as per the guidelines issued by the transport department". Singhania questioned the practicality of such measures exclusively within Delhi. "We are all with govt when they want to remove polluting vehicles from the roads. But if we deny someone fuel, that vehicle can drive 2km from here and refill at Indirapuram in UP. So how effective is it if the ban is implemented in Delhi only?" he asked. At another petrol pump in Mayur Vihar extension, the staff wondered who to inform for action against ELVs should such a vehicle come there. "We have one ANPR camera, but there are two rows from which vehicles enter our station for fuelling," said one of the staff. Ajay Bansal, owner of the petrol pump, said, "We will assist govt in the policy, but will not get involved in things like impounding. We cannot get involved in quarrelling with customers. " The fuel stations will also submit a weekly list of non-compliant vehicles to pollution watchdog Commission for Air Quality Management and the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas for further action. According to a directive of Commission for Air Quality Management, beginning July 1, all ELVs — described as diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years — will not be allowed to refill their tanks in Delhi, regardless of the state in which they are registered. Chief minister Rekha Gupta said on Monday that the state govt was actively exploring measures to stop the refuelling of ELVs as part of efforts to curb rising pollution levels in the capital. "In light of Delhi's pollution crisis, the Supreme Court and regulatory bodies, including CAQM, have consistently stressed the need to phase out ELVs,' Gupta said. She added, "Such vehicles should not be provided with petrol. Govt is looking into how this can be effectively implemented. The court has also suggested the installation of cameras at petrol pumps and we are examining the feasibility of this proposal."
