New Delhi, July 1, 2025 — In a major step to fight rising air pollution, the Delhi government bans fuel in Delhi for old vehicles in the city. As a result effective 1st July 2025, fuel pumps in Delhi will not stop fueling petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years.
The rule applies to all vehicles, including those registered outside Delhi. Fuel stations have begun using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to scan number plates and check vehicle age through the central VAHAN database.
Delhi Government to penalize violators of Fuel Ban
Around 600 petrol pumps across Delhi have installed ANPR cameras. If the system flags a vehicle as too old, the petrol pump will deny it fuel. The rule also authorizes enforcement teams to issue fines and impound vehicles. Further, the authorities can even send them for scrapping if found violating the ban.
Authorities will impose heavy fines of up to ₹10,000 for four-wheelers and ₹5,000 for two-wheelers on violators. They may also tow vehicles that break the rule and mark them for scrapping under registered scrapping facility guidelines.
As of now, the authorities have exempted CNG vehicles from the fuel ban in Delhi.
The Delhi government plans to expand the fuel ban to other parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) in stages. Starting 1st November 2025, authorities will enforce the same rule in neighboring cities like Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad. By 1st April 2026, authorities plan to implement the rule across the remaining parts of the NCR.
Officials say the fuel ban in Delhi is necessary to reduce emissions from aging vehicles, which are a major source of pollution. Delhi continues to rank among the world’s most polluted cities, especially during winter months.
While environmental groups have welcomed the move. However, some vehicle owners and petrol pump operators have raised concerns over enforcement and the impact on daily commuters.
The Delhi government has assured that it will closely monitor the system and improve it as needed in the coming weeks.
