In a significant policy shift, vehicles that have surpassed their legal age limit—over 10 years for diesel and over 15 years for petrol—will not be allowed to refuel in Delhi and surrounding NCR districts starting November 1.

The directive, aimed at curbing pollution caused by End-of-Life (EOL) vehicles, will be enforced across six major cities in the National Capital Region: Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Sonipat.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which met on Tuesday, agreed to defer the fuel restrictions—originally scheduled for July 1—following a request from the Delhi government. The commission determined it would be more effective to roll out the policy simultaneously across all NCR regions.

Earlier this month, Delhi had initiated a campaign to enforce the fuel ban at petrol pumps, using automated cameras to identify vehicles exceeding the legal age limit. The initiative empowered traffic personnel to issue fines or seize non-compliant vehicles. However, public backlash soon followed.

Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa subsequently announced a rollback of the July 1 fuel restriction, stating that a revised strategy would be considered to manage older vehicles in a more balanced way.

The decision came just a day after media reports pointed out the conflict between the blanket ban and India’s cultural inclination toward maintaining and repairing rather than discarding possessions.

On Sunday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena weighed in, writing to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and urging a delay. He highlighted the financial burden on families who save for years to buy a vehicle, many of which are still in good condition despite their age.

Saxena noted the emotional and practical attachment many citizens have to their vehicles and cautioned that immediate scrapping could lead to unnecessary hardship.

Now rescheduled to November 1, the initiative aims to strike a balance between public sentiment and the urgent need to improve air quality in the region.