New Delhi: In a bold move to combat rising air pollution, the Delhi government has officially enforced its ban on supplying fuel to aging vehicles starting Tuesday. Under tight surveillance, a sweeping crackdown was launched across the capital, targeting gasoline cars older than 15 years and diesel vehicles over 10 years.
The enforcement campaign, part of Delhi’s broader environmental protection initiative, began at 6 a.m. and saw the deployment of multiple enforcement teams comprising personnel from the Transport Department, Delhi Police, Traffic Police, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
To facilitate detection, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras powered by artificial intelligence have been installed at around 350 fuel stations throughout the city. These cameras are equipped with hooter systems that trigger alerts if an outdated vehicle is detected attempting to refuel.
“We arrived at 6 a.m. to ensure that no unauthorized vehicle refuels. Petrol stations have been directed to deny service to such vehicles,” said Sub-Inspector Dharamveer from the Transport Enforcement Team stationed at Dhingra Petrol Pump in Chirag Delhi.
The cameras instantly scan license plates and, if the car is flagged in the system as non-compliant, trigger alarms to notify on-site staff and officers. Vehicles identified as violators are subject to immediate seizure.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Jagan Lal from Delhi Traffic Police said,
“In addition to AI detection, our personnel are cross-verifying vehicle data using our central registry. This drive is a coordinated effort with law enforcement and transportation authorities to ensure strict compliance.”
Fuel station staff have also been instructed to take immediate action.
“We’ve been clearly told not to refuel outdated cars. If we or the cameras spot one, we alert the police at once,” said Hriday Ram, a staffer at Dhingra station.
The initiative is rooted in judicial directives:
- A 2018 Supreme Court ruling prohibits operation of diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi.
- A 2014 National Green Tribunal (NGT) order also bans parking of such vehicles in public spaces.
This latest enforcement marks a significant step toward reducing vehicular pollution in Delhi — a city consistently ranked among the world’s most polluted urban centers. With AI technology and strong inter-agency coordination, the government hopes to usher in a “green wave” for the capital’s residents.
