The Delhi government implemented a ban against fuel supply for end-of-life vehicles this week — sparking widespread outrage from residents. Dozens of vehicles have already been seized under the new policy while many vehicle owners have rushed into distress sales. Former Chief Minister Atishi contended on Wednesday that the policy would force people in the national capital to buy ’62 lakh new vehicles’.

The matter also reached the courts on Wednesday following a plea against prosecuting and penalising petrol pump owners for non-compliance with the ‘no fuel to end-of-life vehicles’ policy. The Delhi High Court has subsequently sought the response of the city government and CAQM.

Netizens fume over new policy

The new policy prohibits diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years from refueling in the city, regardless of their registration states. It has also sparked outrage on social media with some insisting that it was ‘absurd’ to mandate scraping of personal vehicles that were well maintained and used sparingly.

“Congratulations Delhites, your cars have been demonetized,” read one outraged post on X.

“Middle class buys a car once in life, maintains it with yearly servicing, road tax, and pollution checks — only to see a ₹7–20L car scrapped for ₹30K. Heartbreaking. And we ask — are EVs really emission-free miracles?” asked another.

“So if I travel to Delhi from another state in my car, should I be carrying enough petrol with me to come back home ?? Will delhi petrol stations not let me refill?” wondered a third.

AAP slams “Tughlaqi” order

The Aam Aadmi Party has also criticised the ‘nearsighted’ order and deemed it ‘anti-people and pro-corporate’ on Wednesday. Former Chief Minister Atishi claimed that the ruling BJP was colluding with manufacturers to force mass vehicle replacement. She demanded that the ruling party come clean and tell the people of Delhi the exact amount it has received in donations from automobile companies for elections.

“Vehicles older than 10 years will be denied fuel and will be forced off the roads under this order. This means 62 lakh vehicles will have to be removed overnight — 40 lakh two-wheelers and 20 lakh four-wheelers…Most working-class people in Delhi rely on two-wheelers to commute to their offices. How are these 40 lakh motorcyclists supposed to reach work now? How will they go about their daily lives?” she said as per an official release

The former CM also insisted that the age of a vehicle did not have much to do with the pollution caused by it.

“Well-maintained vehicles, even if old, do not emit pollution. An old vehicle does not automatically mean a heavily used vehicle. Some cars run three lakh kilometres in just seven years, while others, even after 15 years, haven’t clocked more than 50,000 kilometres. According to the BJP’s order, a vehicle that has run three lakh kilometres can stay on the road, but one that’s done only 50,000 must go. If this isn’t draconian, what is?” the AAP leader asked.

(With inputs from agencies)