Sat Jul 05 22:45:00 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The article reports that Delhi traffic police have been ordered to halt the impounding of “end of life” vehicles (ELVs) at fuel stations. This follows the Delhi government’s request to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to stop its drive against older, polluting vehicles. While the CAQM has yet to respond, petrol dealers confirm that the ELV ban enforcement has stopped over the past few days, and no vehicles have been impounded. The CAQM had previously mandated that fuel stations in Delhi should not provide fuel to ELVs, using ANPR cameras to identify and impound them. The Delhi government, despite initial support, now cites “systemic challenges” for the directive’s inability to be implemented.

**News Article:**

**Delhi Halts Impounding of Old Vehicles at Fuel Stations Amid Air Pollution Concerns**

**New Delhi – July 6, 2025** – In a sudden turn of events, Delhi traffic police have been instructed to cease impounding older, polluting vehicles (“end of life” vehicles or ELVs) at fuel stations. This action follows the Delhi government’s appeal to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to suspend its enforcement drive against these vehicles, aimed at improving air quality in the capital.

The CAQM had previously mandated that, starting July 1, fuel stations in Delhi would be prohibited from providing fuel to petrol vehicles over 15 years of age and diesel vehicles over 10 years of age. Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras were installed to identify these vehicles, and stations were instructed to impound them. The directive was slated to be extended to surrounding NCR regions in the coming months.

However, according to Nischal Singhania, president of the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association, the enforcement has ceased in recent days. “No government teams are on the ground, and no announcements have been made at petrol pumps. No vehicles have been impounded in the past few days,” Singhania stated. He added that an official communication from the government regarding the halt is still pending.

While the CAQM has yet to officially respond to the Delhi government’s request, a traffic police officer confirmed to The Hindu that they have received orders not to impound any overage vehicles until further notice.

The Delhi government, initially supportive of the CAQM’s initiative, cited “systemic challenges” as the reason for the policy’s unfeasibility, despite the potential impact on Delhi’s notoriously poor air quality. The future of the ELV enforcement drive remains uncertain.

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