The pause on 15-Year/10-Year Car Policy in Delhi NCR: Did public backlash change government policies?
By Ayush Sachan
The recently-elected government in Delhi has announced that 15-year-old vehicles will not be refueled by fuel pumps located in Delhi from March 31, 2025. Enforcement in Delhi began July 1, 2025, with ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) systems at fuel pumps denying fuel to banned vehicles Public outrage over technical glitches and hardship led Delhi’s Environment Minister to formally ask CAQM to pause the policy, halting both fuel denial and vehicle impounding.
As directed by the CAQM, from July 1, 2025 fuel stations began using ANPR cameras to block petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years from refueling. Enforcement teams were deployed at pump sites to carry out as per the protocol.
Many citizens feel the policy unfairly penalizes well-maintained older vehicles and punishes middle-class owners who rely on them.
- “It feels poorly thought out…they promise 5% of the ex‑showroom value…but dealers rarely honor this.”
- “This rule should focus on the condition of the car…My 10‑year‑old car [was] in perfect condition causing less pollution…”
the netizens on Reddit showed their concern and dismay about the decision, drivers lamented that this seems like a revenue-driven move favoring manufacturers and dealers over individuals. This is one of those situations which begs the question of why it’s always Delhi which suffers the most?
Stubble burning in Delhi and neighboring states, pollution through construction and vehicular pollution are some of the key factors that can be blamed for Delhi’s low AQI. But there are also some studies that give people another topic of debate.
According to a report issued by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) in Pune in 2024, a significant degree of pollution, ranging between 32 and 44 per cent, is caused by sources not yet pinpointed. So, the question arises, why are vehicles and owners made to pay year after year when the sources that produce about 32 to 44% degree of pollution are yet to be pinpointed by the authorities.
What is happening currently?
It looks like the Public outrage over technical glitches and hardship led Delhi’s Environment Minister to formally ask CAQM to pause the policy, halting both fuel denial and vehicle impounding and the Commission officially deferred enforcement. According to the current deferred guidelines the timeline are:
- November 1, 2025 → Delhi + five NCR districts (Gurgaon, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Sonipat).
- April 1, 2026 → rest of NCR
So, currently there is no active enforcement of fuel denial or impounding for 15-year-old petrol / 10-year diesel vehicles in Delhi. But policy is scheduled to come into effect again from November 1, 2025, across Delhi and the main NCR districts, and the rest of NCR will follow starting April 1, 2026.
So, although we can say that the Delhi government have paused their decision of 15-Year and 10-Year Car policy but the question remains the same will it always be the general public who suffer with the CAQM policies or will the Delhi government look into their shortcomings in handling the pollution levels in the city.