The Delhi government’s plan to deny fuel to overage vehicles from April 1 may be delayed as the necessary infrastructure has yet to be installed at all fuel stations, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Monday. The minister stated that while the government is expediting the process, some locations still lack the required installations. A review meeting will be held tonight to assess the remaining work and determine a new implementation timeline.
The fuel restriction policy was initially announced in early March, aiming to curb vehicular pollution by preventing End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) from refueling. However, Sirsa acknowledged that the installation of monitoring devices—including CCTV cameras linked to vehicle registration databases—has not been completed at all designated petrol pumps. “We are trying to get it done at the earliest, but some locations still lack the necessary infrastructure. It is better to delay the rollout than implement it without proper management,” Sirsa said.
The policy mandates that fuel stations verify vehicle age using CCTV surveillance and registration data. Non-compliant vehicles would be denied fuel and penalized. Initially, the government had set March 31 as the deadline for completing installations.
New timeline expected soon
Despite ongoing efforts, the minister indicated that full implementation may take a few more days. “We don’t want a situation where some stations enforce the ban while others remain unprepared. Our goal is total implementation across Delhi,” Sirsa said. A final decision on the revised rollout timeline is expected after tonight’s meeting, he added.
Sewer and water projects inaugurated in Rajouri
Meanwhile, Sirsa inaugurated sewer renovation and water supply projects in Rajouri, stating that work worth ₹2 crore has commenced. Of this, ₹1.5 crore has been allocated for water supply improvements, while ₹50 lakh is designated for road construction.
He highlighted drinking water shortages in the area, stressing that many households lack access to clean water. “My priority is to ensure that every ward has access to clean drinking water, as our Prime Minister has promised. We are actively working on this while also addressing sewage infrastructure gaps,” he said. Sirsa pointed out that no major water or sewage lines had been installed in the area for the past decade, underscoring the urgency of the projects.
(With PTI inputs)