New Delhi, July 1 — Starting today, the Delhi government has taken a bold and urgent step to clear the air—literally. If you own an old vehicle in the capital, you might want to think twice before heading to the petrol pump.
As part of its intensified fight against air pollution, the city is now enforcing a ban on refueling End-of-Life (EOL) vehicles—those that have crossed 10 years for diesel and 15 years for petrol. These vehicles will no longer be allowed to receive fuel at any petrol or diesel station in Delhi.
But this isn’t just a paper policy—it’s powered by AI. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras installed at fuel stations are already scanning number plates. If a vehicle is flagged as outdated, fuel simply won’t be dispensed.
Sanjay Dedha, a petrol pump manager in Vivek Vihar, shared, “We’re cautiously hopeful. The technology has been installed. Now it’s a matter of seeing how smoothly it works on the ground. If needed, we’ll step in manually to make sure banned vehicles don’t get fuel.”
At Bharat Petroleum, Lal Kuan, supervisor Ram Lagan Shukla confirmed the change: “It’s active from today. Vehicles over the limit won’t be served. We’ll also be checking documents if necessary.”
Those who try to dodge the rules risk stiff penalties: Rs 10,000 for four-wheelers and Rs 5,000 for two-wheelers. Even worse, EOL vehicles spotted in public areas or near fuel pumps could be seized on the spot.
This move is part of a larger effort to clean Delhi’s air—often ranked among the world’s worst. Officials are urging residents to check their vehicle’s registration and take necessary action before facing fines or losing their vehicle altogether.
The message from the capital is clear: Clean air can’t wait—and neither should we.
