In a decisive move aimed at curbing vehicular pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has announced that, starting July 1, refuelling will be prohibited for vehicles that have exceeded their permitted age limit in Delhi.

Using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology installed at fuel stations, authorities will prevent End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles — defined as diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years — from accessing fuel, reported Moneycontrol.

The regulation will not remain limited to the capital. According to CAQM, this fuel restriction policy will extend to Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat beginning November 1. The remainder of the National Capital Region (NCR) is scheduled to come under the same rule from April 1, 2026, indicating a phased and systematic expansion of the programme.

ANPR Cameras Set Up At Fuel Stations

CAQM member Dr Virendra Sharma explained that the rollout is supported by a robust technological backbone. ANPR cameras have been deployed at 500 fuel stations throughout Delhi, enabling real-time vehicle data capture and analysis. “It is very important to remove old BS standard vehicles to clean the air of Delhi and NCR. These vehicles play a big role in air pollution. Now that a transparent, digital and accountable system is in place, it will also be used at toll centres to make this system more effective. About 100 enforcement teams will work for this," Sharma stated.

Since implementation, the system has scanned over 3.63 crore vehicles, identifying 4.90 lakh as End-of-Life based on their age and fuel type. The ANPR cameras instantly record licence plate information as vehicles enter the fuel stations, and this data is cross-checked with the VAHAN database to verify registration details, fuel type, and age. Vehicles failing to meet the legal criteria are immediately flagged, prompting alerts to fuel station operators who must deny refuelling. Violations are recorded and forwarded to enforcement authorities for potential actions such as impounding or scrapping the non-compliant vehicles.

Delhi Transport Focuses On Enforcement

The Delhi Transport Department has bolstered enforcement efforts by deploying 100 specialised teams tasked with monitoring flagged vehicle data, ensuring compliance at fuel stations, and targeting locations with the highest incidences of End-of-Life vehicles. Dr Sharma highlighted that enforcement efforts have led to substantial penalties, noting that 29.52 lakh vehicles have updated their Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC), generating challans totalling Rs 168 crore.

With the combined efforts of digital surveillance and on-ground monitoring, authorities expect the initiative to significantly reduce emissions from outdated vehicles and improve air quality across Delhi and the NCR.