These vehicles to get impounded at Delhi fuel stations from July 1

Soon, Delhi residents will see vehicles getting seized at fuel stations. From 1 July 2025, owners of End-of-Life (EOL) vehicles in Delhi will face strict penalties and fuel restrictions as part of the city’s efforts to curb vehicular pollution. 

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has directed that no fuel shall be provided to diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years, regardless of their state of registration. If such vehicles are found at fuel stations or parked in public spaces, they will be impounded immediately. 

A fine of Rs 10,000 will be levied on four-wheeler owners and Rs 5,000 on two-wheeler owners. Additional towing and parking charges will also apply. Furthermore, owners must submit an undertaking promising the vehicle will not be used or parked publicly and will be moved out of Delhi.

To enforce this, nearly 500 fuel stations in Delhi have installed Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. These cameras instantly scan vehicle number plates and cross-check them with the VAHAN database to identify EOL vehicles based on fuel type, age, and registration details. Fuel station staff will be alerted not to dispense fuel to flagged vehicles. The violation will be reported to enforcement agencies for further action, including impounding and scrapping of the vehicle.

Expansion to NCR Districts and Future Plans

The CAQM has also planned a phased rollout of this enforcement mechanism across the National Capital Region (NCR). Starting November 1, 2025, the rule will be enforced in five high-vehicle-density NCR districts—Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat—with the installation of ANPR cameras completed by October 31. The remaining NCR districts must install cameras by March 31, 2026, with fuel restrictions starting April 1, 2026.

To handle enforcement, Delhi has deployed around 100 teams comprising traffic and transport department officials. These teams will ensure compliance and take strict legal action against any fuel station found violating the new guidelines. During the ANPR system trial runs, non-compliant stations were already identified, and a dedicated police presence will be maintained at these locations to prevent law-and-order issues.

CAQM also plans to implement the same mechanism at Delhi’s 156 vehicle entry points, targeting buses and heavy goods vehicles. According to official data, there are currently 62 lakh EOL vehicles in Delhi, including 41 lakh two-wheelers. An additional 44 lakh EOL vehicles are registered across other NCR districts.

Officials stress that this crackdown comes in response to slow progress in removing outdated and polluting vehicles despite repeated orders from the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT). Authorities have urged vehicle owners to consider scrapping their old vehicles and switch to cleaner alternatives like electric vehicles or public transport to support the clean air initiative.

With inputs from PTI