Delhi: No refuelling for vehicles older than 15 years

New Delhi:From providing over 1,000 electric buses for the city to not giving petrol to vehicles older than 15 years at fuel stations are some of the measures taken by the BJP-ruled Delhi government in its bid to reduce the national capital’s hazardous levels of pollution.

After a meeting with officials to discuss measures to combat air pollution in the national capital, environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced on Saturday that after March 31, vehicles over 15 years of age will not be given fuel across the city.

Mr Sirsa said the government is taking stringent steps to curb vehicular emissions and pollution. The meeting focused on key policy decisions, including restrictions on older vehicles, mandatory anti-smog measures and the transition to electric public transport.

“We are installing gadgets at petrol pumps that will identify vehicles older than 15 years, and no fuel will be provided to them,” Mr Sirsa said after the meeting, adding that the Delhi government will inform the Union ministry of petroleum about this decision.

In addition to restricting fuel supply to older vehicles, Mr Sirsa announced that all high-rise buildings, hotels and commercial complexes in the national capital must install anti-smog guns to curb air pollution levels.

Furthermore, the environment minister said nearly 90 per cent of the public CNG buses in Delhi will be phased out by December 2025 and replaced by electric buses as part of the government’s push towards cleaner and sustainable public transport.

Transport minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said that Delhi will receive more than 1,000 electric buses this month. He said Delhi’s transport sector is currently operating at a loss of `235 crores.

The minister said the government is working on a recovery plan and aims to turn the sector profitable within a year. “This month, we will bring more than 1,000 electric buses to Delhi… We need to improve public transport so that people rely less on private vehicles. Our first step will be to introduce electric buses in Delhi, followed by further enhancements to strengthen the transport network,” Mr Singh said.

“In the first phase, we will focus on immediate and essential reforms. In the second phase, we will introduce major projects to make public transport more efficient and accessible,” the transport minister stated.

As part of the government’s vision for modern and environmentally friendly mobility, Mr Singh underscored the importance of increasing the number of electric buses in Delhi.

The announcements come as part of Delhi’s broader efforts to combat air pollution, a significant challenge for the city’s residents.