44% car owners surveyed in Delhi are against the Government’s move to stop fuel supply for old cars; Some to find alternate ways to get fuel

June 24, 2025, New Delhi: Residents of the national capital owning cars are expressing discontent with the new fuel supply rules for older vehicles, which will be implemented from July 1st. The policy, aimed at reducing air pollution in Delhi, will prevent diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years from refueling at petrol pumps in Delhi. This will not only disrupt the daily commutes of thousands of vehicle owners but prove an expensive exercise.

The move, announced by Delhi Government and backed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), has led Delhi residents to question the rationale behind the move as many of them own vehicles, which though old, are well maintained and hardly used. Yet these vehicles are considered end-of-life (EOL). Some would not even have been driven 50,000 km. While the central government had hinted that they would be considering the case of vehicles which though old are well maintained and hardly driven, no further decision has been made.

To ensure compliance, cameras are being fitted at the petrol pumps in the national capital. Whether this move will be adequate remains to be seen as many who travel to nearby cities outside Delhi like Gurgaon or Noida will still be able to get fuel while others who opt to retain their old vehicles may have to make an extra effort to get fuel. How will all these maneuvers by commuters help to reduce air pollution in Delhi? The issue is even more challenging as the public transport system in the city is inadequate to meet the needs of residents despite a robust metro system which gets jampacked during peak hours.

Apart from Delhi, commuters in the National Capital Region (NCR) are also expected to be affected by refusal to supply fuel to old vehicles as from November 1, 2025, similar measures are expected to begin in Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Sonipat. According to media reports, the rule is to be extended to the remaining NCR districts from April 1, 2026.

Given the high number of concerns received from residents of Delhi, LocalCircles has conducted a survey to find out how they view the decision to stop supply of fuel to 10-year-old diesel vehicles and 15-year-old petrol vehicles and what are owners of such vehicles planning to do. The survey received over 25,000 responses from vehicle owners located across 11 districts of Delhi. 61% respondents were men while 39% respondents were women.

44% of car owners surveyed in Delhi are against the Government move to stop the fuel supply to old diesel and petrol vehicles; 7% do not have an opinion

The survey first asked Delhi residents owning vehicles, “Delhi government is soon implementing a rule where 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol cars will be prohibited from buying fuel at petrol pumps. Do you support this move of the government?” Out of 12,795n who responded to the question 49% stated “yes” they support the Delhi government move, 44% of respondents however stated “no” they do not support the proposed move while 7% of respondents did not give a clear answer. To sum up, 44% of car owners surveyed in Delhi NCR against the Government move to stop the fuel supply to old diesel and petrol vehicles; 7% do not have an opinion. A large number of Delhi residents who have an old car or one that is due to come in the definition soon are upset because the car has been run less than 50,000 kms and is well maintained. In other cases, there are residents who have paid a 15-year registration on the car for a diesel vehicle and believe shortchanged by this rule where they cannot operate the car after 10 years.

62% of old car owners in Delhi surveyed will likely sell their vehicle in other states or to dealers; 22% likely to find alternate ways to get fuel

Given the Delhi government's plans, many of the car owners who are likely to be affected are looking at various options to tackle the situation. The survey asked car owners likely to be impacted by the Delhi government orders, “If you are an owner (or soon will be one) of a 10-year-old diesel or 15-year-old petrol car, what are you likely to do with your car?” Out of 12,278 who responded to the question 62% stated that they will “sell it in a different state or to one of second hand car buyers”; 16% of respondents stated they plan to “buy fuel from other NCR cities”; 6% of respondents stated they plan to “buy fuel for another car and transfer to the old car”; 5% of respondents stated they “don’t / won’t have an old car that falls/ will fall in this category any time soon”; and 11% of respondents did not give a clear answer. To sum up, 62% of old car owners surveyed will likely sell their old vehicle in other states or to dealers; 22% are likely to find ways to get fuel.

In summary, 44% of car owners surveyed in Delhi NCR are against the Government move to stop the fuel supply to old diesel and petrol vehicles and 7% do not have an opinion. The survey reveals that 22% of old car owners are likely to find ways to get fuel by alternate means like filling up their vehicle at one of NCR petrol pumps. Those not keen to violate the law are likely to explore ways to sell the old vehicles in other states or through dealers. Looking at the sheer number of car owners likely to be impacted by the government’s decision to stop fuel supply to them, it is hoped that the government will rethink its decision and allow vehicles in good shape to continue plying on the roads else it will be tough for authorities to enforce the new rule.

Survey Demographics

The survey received over 25,000 responses from vehicle owners located across 11 districts of Delhi. 61% respondents were men while 39% 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.