Delhi government has urged the Centre’s air quality panel to reconsider the abrupt restriction and allow time for a more inclusive transition toward sustainable transport. The appeal marks a significant flashpoint in the city’s ongoing struggle to balance urgent environmental mandates with the socioeconomic realities faced by millions of its residents. The request, submitted to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), comes just days after the enforcement of the ban that restricts fuel supply to vehicles beyond permissible age limits.
Delhi’s leadership argued that while air quality is a serious concern, the policy must be shaped with a practical understanding of infrastructure readiness and public welfare. In a communication to the CAQM chair, the Delhi Environment Department outlined the logistical and technological challenges preventing full-scale compliance with the order. The state has contended that immediate enforcement risks disenfranchising low-income communities who lack access to alternative mobility solutions, especially in the absence of a phased, well-supported transition plan. Senior officials noted that the move has already triggered chaos in transport-dependent livelihoods across the National Capital Region, with small businesses, delivery services, and daily commuters struggling to cope. Many owners of older commercial vehicles claim they were caught off guard, as there was little clarity on alternative provisions or rehabilitation incentives.
While affirming her government’s commitment to air quality improvement, the Delhi Chief Executive acknowledged the widespread hardship the ban had caused. “Good governance is rooted in the ability to align environmental imperatives with human needs,” she said, noting that the city’s climate goals must progress alongside social and economic inclusion. The leadership has called on the Centre to temporarily suspend the directive while stakeholder consultations are held. It has proposed that a collaborative framework be built involving transporters’ unions, vehicle manufacturers, fuel suppliers, and environmental scientists. The goal, officials said, is to ensure that the next steps are not only enforceable but also empathetic.
The fuel ban stems from a broader air pollution mitigation plan spearheaded by the CAQM. It targets vehicles that have surpassed 15 years for petrol and 10 years for diesel, aligning with the National Green Tribunal’s earlier directives. While the policy has legal backing, critics have repeatedly warned that its execution lacks ground preparedness, especially for a city as populous and mobility-dependent as Delhi. Transport and environment experts have echoed this sentiment. A senior mobility consultant associated with Delhi’s clean transport programme said that behavioural shifts require not just rules but systemic support. “A well-intentioned policy, if poorly timed, can derail public trust. Citizens must be made partners in environmental action, not just subjects of enforcement,” they observed.
To address the long-term challenges, the Delhi government has doubled down on expanding its electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. Recent years have seen significant investment in charging infrastructure, subsidies for e-rickshaws and EV fleets, and collaborations with automakers to pilot green logistics corridors. However, officials admitted that the transformation is still midway and not yet ready to absorb the fallout from a sweeping vehicle ban. Data from the state transport authority reveals that end-of-life vehicles constitute a substantial share of active commercial fleets, particularly in outer Delhi, where public transport penetration remains inadequate. Without reliable alternatives or buyback mechanisms, many owners risk income loss or forced retirement of assets with no compensation.
In response to public outcry, the Delhi government has reiterated its demand for a just transition roadmap—one that allows for phased implementation, social cushioning, and adequate capacity-building. It has proposed interim exemptions for registered commercial vehicles engaged in essential services and called for the Centre to extend targeted fiscal incentives to support vehicle upgrades. Environmental groups, while supporting the essence of the ban, have also called for nuanced implementation. A clean air advocacy network based in Delhi suggested that CAQM should adopt a tiered zoning model, where high-priority zones enforce bans sooner, and low-priority areas transition gradually. “You cannot achieve climate justice without economic justice,” the group posted on its social media channels.
The national capital’s fragile air quality ecosystem has long demanded assertive intervention. However, this episode underlines the growing tension between technocratic policymaking and real-world execution in India’s fast-urbanising cities. For Delhi, the path to sustainability will need more than regulatory muscle—it will require consensus, empathy, and time. Officials said they remain open to dialogue with CAQM and are hopeful that a solution balancing health and livelihood interests can be jointly arrived at. Until then, the capital’s tryst with green mobility remains suspended between urgent action and patient reform.
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