Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has formally requested the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to put on hold its order banning fuel sales to End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) from July 1, citing widespread dissatisfaction among the public.
“We urge the Commission to put the implementation of Direction No. 89 on hold with immediate effect till the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system is seamlessly integrated across the entire NCR,” Sirsa said in his letter to CAQM, according to ANI.
At a press conference, Sirsa stated that public discontent was growing over the move, and the Delhi government stood with the people. “We are confident that the ongoing multi-pronged efforts of the Delhi Government will achieve substantial improvements in air quality,” the minister added.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa writes to the Commission for Air Quality Management to place on hold the enforcement of Direction No. 89, which mandates the denial of fuel to End-of-Life (EOL) vehicles in Delhi
— ANI (@ANI) July 3, 2025
"We urge the Commission to put the implementation… pic.twitter.com/mgg1Ymdaes
The CAQM directive, issued in April 2024, bars fuel stations in Delhi from dispensing petrol, diesel, or CNG to diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol/CNG vehicles older than 15 years, regardless of where they are registered.
Over 60 Lakh ELVs in Delhi
As per official records and the VAHAN database, Delhi has over 62 lakh deregistered ELVs, including:
- 41 lakh two-wheelers
- 18 lakh four-wheelers
Despite being deregistered, many of these vehicles are reportedly still in active use across the capital.
Petrol Pumps Raise Safety Concerns
Last month, the Delhi government issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for fuel stations:
- Manual or digital logs must be maintained for denied fuel transactions.
- Signboards must clearly state:
“Fuel will not be dispensed to End of Life Vehicles — i.e. 15 years old Petrol and CNG and 10 years old Diesel from 01.07.2025.” - Fuel pump staff must be trained to enforce the ban and handle potential confrontations.
Dealers have flagged safety concerns in enforcing the directive, urging authorities for clarity and support as tensions rise over implementation.