The government of Delhi will prohibit fuel stations from supplying petrol and diesel to vehicles older than 15 years starting March 31, as part of measures to tackle air pollution in the Indian capital, an official said on Saturday.
AI-powered cameras will be installed at fuel stations to enforce the rule, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said. “We are installing gadgets at petrol pumps which will identify vehicles older than 15 years, and no fuel will be provided to them,” he stated at a meeting of city officials on air pollution.
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Delhi already bans petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years from operating on its roads. Additionally, all vehicles must carry a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate to refuel.
A senior city official told the Indian Express that many fuel stations already have AI-enabled cameras to check PUC compliance and will now use them to verify vehicle age.
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Drivers of non-compliant vehicles will be required to scrap their vehicles, sell them outside the city under the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) scheme, or switch to alternative transport.
The move is part of broader efforts to combat Delhi’s severe smog and air pollution. Other measures include mandatory anti-smog devices at high-rise buildings and commercial complexes.
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The city is also transitioning its public transport fleet, with plans to phase out 90% of CNG buses in favor of electric models by December 2025. The Delhi government aims to procure 11,000 buses by 2026, including 8,000 electric buses, with 3,680 set for deployment by September 2025.