New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): Delhi vehicle owners have supported the policy restricting fuel supply to end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), calling it a positive step towards pollution control. The development comes as the Delhi government has written to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), seeking a hold on the directive banning fuel sale to ELVs in the national capital.

Speaking to ANI, a vehicle owner said, 'I bought a Scotty in 2017. The decision (not to give fuel to end-of-life vehicles) was wrong for those who cannot afford to buy a new vehicle. When I see a vehicle emitting pollution, I tell them to get their pollution certificate made, because we have to suffer because of them. So this decision of the government is good.'

Another vehicle owner told ANI, 'The steps the government is taking for Delhi are good. Pollution caused by vehicles is high, so the steps being taken are good. If the vehicle is old, then it is the responsibility of the citizens to come forward. Similar steps should be taken in all metro cities...'

Following the reactions, the Delhi NCT government formally approached the Commission, urging it to pause the enforcement.

In a letter to the Commission, Delhi Minister for Environment, Forests, and Wildlife, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, wrote that soon after the implementation of the direction, which came into effect on July 1, 2025, it was revealed that 'certain issues' needed to be addressed before they could be fully implemented.

Under the Delhi government's policy, petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years are now denied refuelling at fuel stations in the city.

'The Government of Delhi is fully aligned with the Commission's objective to phase out older, polluting vehicles and has implemented a comprehensive Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025 to this end,' the Minister wrote in his letter.

'The GNCTD has been complying with the directions of Hon'ble NGT and Hon'ble Supreme Court regarding implementing a ban on EOL vehicles, deregistering them and ensuring that they do not ply on Delhi roads,' the letter read.

Many end-of-life vehicles have been denied fuel at fuel stations after being identified by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR).

The Minister said because of 'several critical operational and infrastructural challenges', it will not be feasible to implement it at this juncture.

He argued that immediate implementation may be 'premature and potentially counterproductive.'

'A stage-wise implementation that begins only in Delhi will not serve its intended purpose. It is highly likely to lead to vehicle owners procuring fuel from adjacent districts like Gurugram, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad, thereby circumventing the ban and potentially fostering an illegal cross-border market for fuel, which would further exacerbate the problem,' the Minister's letter read.

'ANPR system is not implemented in the neighbouring states, which will again be an issue in the effective integration of the system with the system of neighbouring states, as and when the same is implemented. So far as our knowledge is concerned, neighbouring districts have not yet started installation of ANPR cameras in the fuel stations,' the letter added.

Meanwhile, the opposition lashed out at the BJP-led administration over the decision. Delhi Assembly Leader of Opposition and AAP leader Atishi criticised the inconsistency in the policy rollout.

'Is the BJP running a government in Delhi or Phulera's panchayat? One day they make a decision, the next day they say the decision is not right. On the third day, they write letters,' she said.

She added, 'If the decision is not right, why did you take it? And why aren't you taking it back? Why are you playing this letter game? The BJP has a four-engine government in Delhi; if they had wanted to, they could have immediately withdrawn the decision, but they haven't done so yet because the BJP is reportedly in cahoots with car manufacturers, car scrappers, and car dealers. We asked the BJP a question that remains unanswered: How much did the BJP receive in donations from car manufacturers and sellers over the last five years? Removing vehicles after 10 years is a completely absurd, illogical, and baseless decision.' (ANI)