Delhi Set to Ban Fuel Sales to Over-Age Vehicles Within Two Weeks, ANPR Camera Network Almost Ready

With 485 of 500 fuel stations equipped with ANPR systems, Delhi awaits final clearance to roll out a first-of-its-kind crackdown on end-of-life vehicles to reduce air pollution.

April 15, 2025: New Delhi — The Delhi government is gearing up to launch its ambitious plan to curb vehicular emissions by banning fuel sales to end-of-life vehicles (ELVs)—a category that includes petrol vehicles over 15 years old and diesel vehicles over 10 years old. The citywide rollout is expected within two weeks, pending final approval from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

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The scheme, first announced earlier this year, will be enforced through an advanced Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system now installed at 485 of the capital’s 500 fuel stations. The remaining 15 are expected to be completed soon, officials said.

Under the new rules, ANPR cameras will scan vehicle number plates and cross-check them against the mParivahan database to identify vehicles that have surpassed legal age limits. If flagged, fuel stations will be instructed not to serve fuel to these vehicles.

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The policy applies regardless of the vehicle’s state of registration — any ELV entering a Delhi fuel station will be denied service.

Officials say the program is backed by environmental rulings from the National Green Tribunal (2015) and the Supreme Court (2018), which banned the operation of over-age vehicles in Delhi due to pollution concerns.

While over 6 million vehicles in Delhi qualify as ELVs as of September 2024, thousands are still illegally plying the roads, significantly contributing to the city’s poor air quality. In 2023 alone, 22,397 such vehicles were impounded, followed by another 2,310 in the first nine months of 2024.

Despite the policy’s ambitious goal, experts caution about potential confusion, enforcement issues, and the absence of an in-city scrapping facility. They’ve also urged clear communication about exemptions, such as for vintage cars or vehicles with special permits.

The Delhi government has sought formal clearance from CAQM, and enforcement is expected to begin as soon as the final batch of ANPR cameras is operational.

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