The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Tuesday extended the deadline for enforcement of its direction to deny fuel to End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles in Delhi-NCR. The decision was taken during the Commission’s 24th meeting, following concerns raised by the Delhi Government (GNCTD) regarding technological and operational challenges in its implementation.
As per the amended clause of Statutory Direction No. 89, fuelling will be denied to EoL vehicles identified through Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems or other mechanisms from November 1, 2025, in Delhi and five high vehicle density districts of NCR – Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat. The directive will come into force across the rest of the NCR from April 1, 2026.
GNCTD, in communications dated July 3 and July 7, 2025, flagged key issues, including incomplete integration of the ANPR system with neighbouring state databases, technical glitches, and enforcement difficulties. The state also raised legal concerns about geographic inconsistency under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and highlighted potential hardships for vehicle owners.
CAQM acknowledged these concerns and emphasized the need for a uniform enforcement timeline to prevent loopholes. The communications highlighted the lack of integration between the system and vehicle databases of neighbouring states, warning that this could lead to ‘fuel tourism’ and the emergence of an illegal cross-border fuel market, as vehicles denied fuel in Delhi may cross state borders to refuel.
Authorities were also reminded that EoL vehicles, once deregistered, are illegal for road use in Delhi-NCR and must be impounded when identified.
The Transport Departments of Delhi and NCR states have been instructed to expedite ANPR system trials, ensure personnel training, and launch awareness campaigns for fuel station operators and the public. Agencies must report progress on EoL vehicle removal to the Commission monthly.
This amendment provides additional time to resolve implementation gaps while reinforcing the CAQM’s commitment to phasing out polluting vehicles in the region.
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