The long-delayed fuel ban on old and end-of-life (EOL) vehicles in Delhi-NCR will now start from November 1, 2025, officials confirmed. The rule will stop petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years from refuelling at petrol pumps.

The plan was first supposed to begin on July 1, 2025, but the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) postponed it after a review. Sources told PTI that the decision was deferred to allow more time for preparations.

An official from CAQM earlier told ANI, “Direction 89 to be amended. Drive against End-of-Life vehicles in Delhi will now come into force from November 1, along with 5 NCR districts.”

Earlier, the CAQM had directed that all fuel stations in Delhi must stop providing petrol or diesel to vehicles that fall under the EOL category, even if they were registered outside Delhi.

However, Delhi environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa urged the panel to delay the decision. He called the move “premature and potentially counterproductive”, citing “operational and infrastructural challenges” that needed to be resolved first.

Where the ban will apply

From November 1, the rule will be enforced in Delhi and five adjoining districts with high vehicle density, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat.

The move aims to reduce vehicular pollution, one of the biggest contributors to Delhi’s poor air quality during winter months.

How will old vehicles be identified?

Several fuel stations in have already installed Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to help identify banned vehicles. These cameras scan the number plate and verify details such as the vehicle’s age, registration, and fuel type through the government’s VAHAN database.

If a vehicle is found to be overage or banned, the system will alert the staff to deny refuelling. The violation will also be recorded and sent to enforcement agencies, who may take action like impounding or scrapping the vehicle.