Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) revealed a startling gap in the foundation of its overage vehicle ban in Delhi-NCR, admitting it has conducted no research on the pollution impact of diesel vehicles older than 10 years or petrol vehicles older than 15 years. The disclosure, made in response to an RTI filed by environmentalist Amit Gupta, has sparked concerns about the evidence behind the controversial policy.

The CAQM clarified that the ban on “end-of-life” (EoL) vehicles stems from orders by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in Vardhman Kaushik vs Union of India & Ors and the Supreme Court in M C Mehta vs Union of India & Ors, rather than independent scientific studies. The policy targets approximately 62 lakh vehicles in Delhi, including 41 lakh two-wheelers, and 44 lakh across NCR districts like Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat.

In July 2025, the CAQM postponed a directive preventing fuel stations from supplying petrol or diesel to EoL vehicles until October 31, following the Delhi government’s concerns over “operational and infrastructural challenges.” The implementation, reliant on Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras linked to the VAHAN database, has been hampered by software glitches, camera placement issues, malfunctioning sensors, and incomplete integration with neighboring states’ databases. The fuel ban is now set to begin in five high-vehicle-density NCR districts on November 1, 2025, and extend to others by April 1, 2026.

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The Supreme Court and NGT have previously criticized authorities for slow progress in phasing out old, polluting vehicles. The Delhi government has also filed a review application in the Supreme Court to reconsider the 2018 ban, highlighting ongoing challenges in enforcement and public impact. As debates intensify, the lack of empirical data underpinning the CAQM’s policy raises critical questions about its effectiveness in combating air pollution in the NCR.

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