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6 days ago
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ARTICLE AD BOX
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has ordered that no action should be taken, for now, against owners of older vehicles in Delhi-NCR, temporarily halting a nearly 10-year-old ban.Since 2015, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years have been barred from the roads under a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, later upheld by the Supreme Court.
The rule aimed to reduce Delhi’s severe air pollution.
Over the years, the policy expanded with vehicle scrapping rules, mandatory fitness tests, and new guidelines on handling “end-of-life” vehicles. In July, the Delhi government even directed fuel pumps not to refuel older cars, sparking a public outcry.How has the policy evolved?Over the years, the ban was reinforced with several measures:
- 2015–18: NGT first banned old vehicles; Supreme Court upheld it.
- 2021–22: Centre introduced a national vehicle scrapping policy with incentives for replacing end-of-life vehicles.
- 2023–24: Delhi government issued detailed rules on managing abandoned and unfit cars, including action against vehicles parked in public places.
- July 2025: Delhi ordered petrol pumps not to provide fuel to end-of-life vehicles. After widespread protests, the directive was rolled back.
What happens next?
The Supreme Court will hear the case further in the coming weeks.
Until a final judgment is delivered, no police or transport department action can be taken against owners of older vehicles in Delhi-NCR.ConclusionA bench led by Chief Justice BR Gavai issued an interim order saying “no coercive action” should be taken against such vehicle owners. This means that, until the court issues a final ruling, petrol cars older than 15 years and diesel cars older than 10 years can legally run in Delhi-NCR, provided they pass fitness and emission standards.
English (US) ·