Delhi starts impounding End-of-Life vehicles at fuel stations from July 1, 2025
Starting today, July 1, 2025, Delhi has implemented strict measures to curb vehicular pollution by restricting fuel supply to End-of-Life (EOL) vehicles and enforcing immediate seizure if such vehicles are detected at fuel stations or parked in public areas.
The initiative, led by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), prohibits fuel stations from dispensing petrol to vehicles older than 15 years and diesel to those older than 10 years, irrespective of the vehicle’s state of registration. Authorities have made it clear that EOL vehicles found violating these rules will be impounded on the spot, with hefty fines imposed on owners, Rs. 10,000 for four-wheelers and Rs. 5000 for two-wheelers, along with towing and parking charges.
To support this enforcement, approximately 500 fuel stations across Delhi have been equipped with Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. These cameras automatically scan vehicle number plates and verify them against the VAHAN database to identify vehicles that exceed the permissible age limit based on fuel type and registration details. If a flagged vehicle is detected, fuel station staff are notified to deny refuelling and enforcement teams are alerted to take further action.
The CAQM’s plan extends beyond Delhi, with a phased rollout across the National Capital Region (NCR). Five key districts, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar and Sonipat, will implement similar fuel restrictions from November 1, 2025, after completing ANPR camera installations by the end of October. The remaining NCR districts are expected to follow by April 1, 2026, with infrastructure in place by March 31, 2026.
To ensure compliance in Delhi, around 100 enforcement teams comprising traffic police and transport department officials are being deployed. During trial runs of the ANPR system, several fuel stations were found non-compliant, prompting authorities to assign police personnel at these locations to prevent disputes and ensure smooth implementation.
The crackdown also includes plans to install ANPR cameras at Delhi’s 156 vehicle entry points, targeting older buses and heavy goods vehicles that contribute significantly to pollution levels. Official data estimates 62 lakh EOL vehicles within Delhi alone, including over 41 lakh two-wheelers, while another 44 lakh outdated vehicles are registered across the NCR.
