New Delhi, Jul 1: In a major move to combat air pollution, the Delhi government has enforced a strict fuel ban on 'end-of-life' (EoL) vehicles -- petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years -- from being refuelled at petrol pumps across the national capital.

Authorities confirmed that two motorcycles have already been identified and seized under the new enforcement, and the vehicles will be scrapped in accordance with the official policy.

The crackdown follows the alarming findings by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), whose November 2024 analysis found that vehicles contribute 51 per cent of pollution from all local emission sources in Delhi -- making them the single largest source of air pollution in the city.

The Transport Department has implemented a multi-agency deployment plan involving the Delhi Police, Traffic Police, and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) personnel at strategically chosen petrol stations, particularly those with a high volume of old vehicles.

Delhi Police officers have been assigned to petrol stations numbered 1 to 100, while the Transport Department has deployed 59 dedicated teams across stations numbered 101 to 159.

One traffic police officer has been stationed at each of the 350 petrol pumps identified for monitoring refuelling activities, with two additional police personnel present at every station to maintain law and order during the drive.

To support real-time detection, 498 fuel stations have been equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.

These cameras, integrated with the national VAHAN database, automatically identify overage vehicles and alert fuel station operators. Once flagged, details of these vehicles are sent to enforcement teams for immediate action, including impounding and scrapping.

Traffic Inspector Ashok Kumar, speaking to IANS, said, "According to the Delhi government's guidelines and directions from senior officers, EoL vehicles which are over 10 years diesel and over 15 years petrol will be acted upon. Four petrol pumps have been identified in the Parliament Street circle with ANPR cameras installed, and we have deployed our transport and local police staff there."

"The ANPR cameras will detect the vehicle and trigger an alarm. Our staff has also been given e-Challan software. If any such vehicle is identified, the owner will be informed, and the vehicle will be seized as per procedure and handed over to the Risk-Based Supervisory Framework (RBSF)," he said.

He further added, "From the data collected from four petrol pumps so far, we have seized two motorcycles older than 15 years and handed them over to registered scrap dealers. The vehicle owners can claim reimbursement directly from the scrapping authority."

Petrol pump staff have also been briefed on the enforcement policy. One employee told IANS, "We've been instructed not to refuel vehicles older than 10 or 15 years. AI cameras installed at the pumps first identify the vehicles, and then we decide whether to provide fuel. If needed, we verify the vehicle's RC and inform the authorities."

This comprehensive enforcement is part of the Delhi government's broader effort to curb vehicular emissions and improve the city's air quality.

(IANS)

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