Flying 40-year-old aircrafts, but old cars banned: Ex-IAF pilot questions Delhi Govt's move

A former Indian Air Force pilot has questioned the Delhi government's latest crackdown on older vehicles in a social media post. Starting July 1, Delhi has enforced a ban on refueling diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years, regardless of where they are registered.

Delhi fuel ban for old vehicles: All you need to know

Fuel stations in the city are now prohibited from refueling these vehicles as part of a broader campaign to tackle the capital's persistent air pollution. Fuel pump operators failing to comply could face action under Section 192 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Vehicles found violating the rule risk being impounded and their owners prosecuted.

To ensure enforcement, fuel stations across the city are being equipped with

Automated Number Plate Recognition

(ANPR) cameras to identify and block such vehicles in real-time. The restriction is currently limited to Delhi, but from November 1, it will also extend to neighbouring districts.

Ex-IAF pilot raises concerns

However, the policy has not gone unchallenged. In a post that gained wide attention on social media,

ex-IAF pilot Sanjeev Kapoor

questioned the selective targeting of personal vehicles while other aging modes of transport remain in use. "We are still flying aircraft that are over 40 years old and many of our trains, buses, boats, ferries and commercial planes in daily use are more than three decades old," he wrote. “So why are restrictions being imposed only on personal vehicles?”

Kapoor also expressed concern over the unintended consequences of the move. He warned that banning fuel for older vehicles may give rise to a black market or underground ecosystem to keep these vehicles running. “That’s my take,” he concluded.