8 in 10 vehicle owners of Delhi surveyed against the fuel ban for old vehicles; Twice as many two-wheeler owners upset as compared to four-wheeler owners

July 3, 2025, New Delhi: Delhi’s ban on fuel supply to end-of-life vehicles (10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol), numbering around 62 lakh ELVs, has drawn sharp criticism from citizens across socio-economic groups. Many believe the policy is arbitrary and unfair, particularly for owners of well-maintained vehicles that still pass pollution checks.

Social media platforms have been flooded with reactions labelling the rule as elitist and disconnected from the financial realities of middle-class vehicle owners. Critics point out that forcing people to scrap functioning vehicles undermines sustainability and burdens them with recurring EMIs for replacements. There is also deep frustration over the lack of consideration for vehicle condition and usage, with several users calling for a policy that evaluates emissions performance rather than only the vehicle age. The public backlash highlights that road-tax paid for 15 years doesn’t match with a forced 10-year scrapping rule for diesel cars.

The Delhi government, aided by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at over 500 fuel stations, is using the VAHAN database to detect overage vehicles and prevent them from refueling. Simultaneously, the Delhi Transport Department, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and Delhi Police are jointly enforcing the policy.

Two-wheelers are not exempt from the rule. They too are also being impounded. Many owners of older bikes, unaware or unable to replace their vehicles, have already faced seizures. This has further amplified public resentment, with many arguing that the poor and working class are disproportionately affected. With over 41 lakh two-wheelers nearing end-of-life this affects a massive slice of daily commuters. Many families which are dependent on older bikes are particularly hit as they are being forced to upgrade or sell quickly though it would affect them greatly as they cannot afford to replace it.

On July 1, the first day of the fuel supply ban, 24 vehicles — including 19 two-wheelers — were impounded, and 78 violators were flagged on Day 2. Impounded vehicles are being sent to registered scrappers, with fines of INR 5,000 for two-wheelers and INR 10,000 for four wheelers being imposed on owners.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has defended the enforcement stating that the policy aligns with Supreme Court and the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) orders aimed at phasing out end-of-life vehicles (ELVs). She stressed that ANPR-equipped petrol pumps and enforcement teams are essential for implementing pollution norms. Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh has stated that the move has been compelled by multiple court directives since 2014/2018. Arguing that the measure is regulatory, not politically motivated, the Delhi Government has also blamed the former AAP government for delaying in addressing vehicular pollution.

Meanwhile, fuel pump operators have raised concerns over possible confrontations with enraged citizens, fearing violence or arrest if they refuse fuel to vehicle owners. Several have demanded police presence at pumps for safety.

While the policy aims to reduce vehicular emissions in Delhi, its sudden and rigid enforcement has led to panic, protests, and logistical strain. LocalCircles through a survey has strived to find out whether Delhi residents support the government’s move to stop fuel supply to ELVs irrespective of their condition and whether other viable alternatives should have been explored first to reduce air pollution in the national capital. The survey received over 33,000 responses from residents of 11 districts of Delhi. 67% respondents were men while 33% respondents were women.

79% vehicle owners in Delhi surveyed are against the “fuel ban for old vehicles” rule

With thousands of Delhi residents agitated over the fuel ban for the end-of-life vehicles, the survey asked, “Delhi Government has implemented the new rule where petrol pumps cannot sell fuel to 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol vehicles (including bikes) and these vehicles are being impounded. Do you support this move of the government?” Out of 16,907 who responded to the question 79% stated “no” and remaining 21% stated “yes” they support the Delhi government decision. In essence, 79% vehicle owners in Delhi surveyed are against the “fuel ban for old vehicles” rule.

Twice as many two-wheeler owners in Delhi against the “old vehicles fuel ban” as compared to four-wheeler owners

LocalCircles finds that as against 44% of four-wheeler vehicle owners, as many as 87% of two-wheeler owners are upset by the new fuel rule and seizure of old vehicle. The findings are based on a comparison of car owners survey in June 2025 and all vehicle owners survey in July 2025. It must be noted that among the 62 lakh vehicles that quality as old vehicles in Delhi the breakdown between two and four wheelers is 70% and 30% respectively.

65% vehicle owners of Delhi surveyed also believe that Delhi Government should have taken up other higher impact initiatives to reduce pollution instead of the “fuel ban for old vehicles” rule

As many factors are responsible for the high air pollution in Delhi, the survey asked residents of the national capital, “Do you believe there are other higher impact initiatives that the Delhi government should have implemented to reduce pollution before the fuel ban on old vehicles?” The question received 16,307 responses with 35% stating “No, this is the right initiative” and 65% of respondents stating “yes, many other initiatives could have been implemented instead”. To sum up, 65% vehicle owners of Delhi surveyed also believe that Delhi Government should have taken up other higher impact initiatives to reduce pollution instead of the “fuel ban for old vehicles” rule. In community discussions, respondents cited initiatives like, stubble burning solutions and enforcement, mechanized street cleaning equipment, enforcement against garbage burning and effective enforcement on construction sites as higher priority than banning fuel for older vehicles.

In summary, the survey shows that more than two-third or 79% vehicle owners in Delhi surveyed are against the “fuel ban for old vehicles” rule. 44% car owners surveyed were found to be against this rule while 87% two-wheeler owners are opposed to the rule. In fact, 65% vehicle owners of Delhi surveyed also believe that Delhi Government should have taken up other higher impact initiatives to reduce pollution instead of the “fuel ban for old vehicles” rule. According to a large number of vehicle owners with old two and four wheelers, they cannot come up with the funds to buy a replacement vehicle. Many of them are likely to resort to going to NCR cities for fuel which defeats the purpose of such a rule.

The Delhi Government should consider putting a pause to the implementation, rationalize it, conduct authentic public consultation and revisit the implementation at a later date.

Survey Demographics

The survey received over 33,000 responses from residents of 11 districts of Delhi. 67% respondents were men while 33% respondents were women. The survey was conducted via LocalCircles platform, and all participants were validated citizens who had to be registered with LocalCircles to participate in this survey.