Relief for Delhi Drivers: Fuel Restrictions on 10-Year-Old Diesels, 15-Year-Old Petrol Vehicles Lifted
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): There’s welcome news for owners of old vehicles in the national capital. The Delhi government has withdrawn its recent decision to stop providing fuel at petrol pumps to 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles. This rule, which came into effect just two days ago on July 1, also included provisions to seize such old vehicles — but those have now been scrapped as well.
The Delhi government had introduced this rule from July 1 in an effort to curb pollution. Under the regulation, petrol pumps were barred from selling fuel to diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras were even installed at petrol stations to strictly enforce the rule by identifying vehicles violating the age limit.
However, just two days after implementation, the government faced widespread backlash and complaints from the public about the inconvenience caused by the rule. Bowing to mounting pressure, the government has now announced that no vehicle will be denied fuel based on age, nor will any vehicle be seized at petrol pumps. With this U-turn, old vehicles in Delhi will now be allowed to operate on city roads as before.