Starting 1 July 2025, Delhi has enforced a strict fuel ban on older vehicles. This means petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years will not be allowed to refuel at any fuel station in Delhi. This move by the Delhi government has drawn widespread criticism from all corners. In fact, it is now slowly turning into a political slugfest.
Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member, Saket Gokhale, has now expressed his disappointment and requested the Delhi government to “immediately withdraw this ridiculous policy”. In a recent X (formerly Twitter) post, Gokhale has warned that if not withdrawn “this issue will also be raised in Parliament in the upcoming Monsoon Session”.
Delhi fuel ban to affect 62 lakh vehicles
A member of parliament from West Bengal, Gokhale has also attached a letter written to Union Road & Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari, asking for his “urgent intervention” on this matter. According to Gokhale, this illogical policy can potentially affect over 62 lakh vehicles in Delhi. He goes on to allege that this is being done in Delhi purely to benefit automakers and other corporate lobbies that are close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party.
In his tweet, Gokhale mentioned that a vehicle’s registration (RC) is required to be renewed after fifteen years under current laws. It is only renewed when the vehicle passes the specified fitness & pollution tests. He alleges that if this rule exists, imposing a blanket ban on 10/15-years-old vehicles in Delhi is ridiculous.
He says that this policy is a direct hit on the middle class & will cause an extreme financial burden for no logical reason. Across the world, the US, UK, EU, & China have no such rules for “End of Life Vehicles (ELVs). These countries are much bigger polluters than India.
Jumlebaazi by BJP?
Another politician, alleged this move as another act of “jumlebaazi” by BJP. In an interaction with PTI, Congress leader Surendra Rajput said, “BJP government, be it in the Centre or state, only indulges in empty talks. 10-year-old vehicles will not get diesel or petrol. However, 15-year-old aeroplanes will remain functional. Which will cause accidents. Is this fair in a poor country like India?”.
To implement this policy, the Delhi Transport Department, in coordination with the Delhi Police, Traffic Police, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), has enforced a strict ban on refuelling old vehicles. Beginning yesterday, each of the 350 designated fuel stations will have at least one traffic police officer deployed to ensure compliance. Under the directive, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years will not be allowed to refuel, as part of the city’s intensified anti-pollution drive.
