Delhi, July 4, 2025: In what many are calling a landmark moment of people-powered policy reversal, the Delhi government has stepped back from the strict ban on overage diesel and petrol vehicles, acknowledging public backlash and technical infeasibility.
Earlier this year, the capital had announced a blanket ban on diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years, triggering an uproar across the city. The decision threatened to sideline over 62 lakh vehicles, including family cars, trucks, two-wheelers, and even vintage classics, leaving owners helpless and outraged.
Social media exploded with stories of nearly-new, well-maintained vehicles being sold off for scrap prices. Citizens called the move hasty and economically devastating.
Taking note of the widespread unrest, Delhi’s Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa addressed a press conference on Thursday, affirming that the government “stood with the people” and had formally written to CAQM, stating that enforcing such a policy was not technologically viable at this point.
The minister further criticized the former AAP administration for setting “unrealistic and stringent norms” without considering the socioeconomic impact.
While the original directive was aimed at combating vehicular pollution, which, according to CAQM data, contributes over 50% to Delhi’s local emissions, the city administration now believes that a region-wide, phased approach across the entire NCR might be a more equitable solution.
Delhiites have emerged victorious in their protest against the contentious End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) ban. What began as an outcry over a sweeping fuel-age restriction, deeming 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles illegal, has led the Delhi government to press pause.
This whole saga and reversal, is a show of rare responsiveness, authorities have now written to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), highlighting the unfeasibility of enforcing such a ban amidst technological and systemic challenges. It’s a powerful reminder of the voice of the people, and how loud it can ring in the corridors of power.
This development marks a significant victory for citizens, environmental pragmatists, and automotive enthusiasts alike, proving that collective voices, when amplified, can steer the course of even the toughest policy decisions.
