'We still fly aircraft over 40 years old, but...': Ex-IAF officer slams Delhi's fuel ban to older vehicles

As Delhi began enforcing its ban on refuelling old vehicles from Tuesday, former Indian Air Force officer Sanjeev Kapoor questioned the rationale behind the move, highlighting what he sees as inconsistency in policy. "We are still flying aircraft that are over 40 years old & many of our trains, buses, boats, ferries & commercial planes in daily use are more than three decades old. So why are restrictions being imposed only on personal vehicles?" he asked in a post. "With fuel no longer available at gas stations, this will only create a parallel ecosystem, which is neither sustainable nor desirable. That's my take." 

The new restrictions prohibit petrol stations across Delhi from dispensing fuel to petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years. The enforcement began at 6 am with support from Delhi Police, Traffic Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and the Transport Department.

At the Dhingra petrol pump in Chirag Delhi, enforcement and police teams were deployed early morning. "We are here from 6 am to ensure that no old vehicle is allowed to refuel. Petrol pumps have been directed to deny fuel to such vehicles," said Sub-Inspector Dharamveer from the Transport Enforcement team.

He explained that AI-powered cameras and hooter systems have been installed to detect End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs). “If any such vehicle arrives, the cameras detect it instantly and trigger a hooter to alert the staff,” he added, noting that vehicles caught violating the rule are being impounded on the spot.

Assistant Sub-Inspector Jagan Lal from the Delhi Traffic Police said vehicle details are being cross-verified with the central database. “The cameras will inform automatically, but our teams are also checking vehicles. The drive is being carried out jointly with local police and transport officials to ensure full compliance and to maintain law and order,” he said.

The move has drawn criticism from residents and professionals alike. Ramana, an engineer, said, "If a vehicle is well maintained & is within prescribed pollution limits, which authority has any right whatsoever to deny fuel only because it’s older than 10/15 years? Stupid/illogical/brain-dead/zero application of mind/zero respect for vehicle owners."

Another voice of dissent came from social media user Pramod Saxena, who called it a disguised boost for the automobile industry: "The refuelling ban on aging vehicles, effective July 1, 2025, presents a 'cashing-in opportunity' for India's car makers to address the 440,000–500,000 unsold vehicle inventory by stimulating demand for new cars, particularly BS-VI-compliant models and EVs."

The policy follows a 2018 Supreme Court order banning 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles in Delhi.