Petrol pumps all over Delhi have now started denying fuel to end-of-life (EoL) vehicles, on orders from the Commission for Air Quality Management. Even though the aim is to curb vehicle emissions in the capital city, this action has caused immense trouble for most car owners, especially those who take good care of their older vehicles.
Take the example of Delhi’s Ritesh Gandotra. He found himself compelled to let go of his diesel-powered luxury SUV due to this rule. Gandotra had an eight-year-old Range Rover, meticulously maintained and driven only 74,000 km since purchase. The SUV remained idle for two years during the Covid lockdown, and by his estimate, still had over 2 lakh km of life left.
Angered by the 10-year diesel vehicle ban in the NCR, Gandotra vented his grievance on a post on X (formerly Twitter), claiming he had no choice but to sell the SUV for a fraction of its value and only to non-NCR buyers. In his now-deleted tweet, he also scolded the exorbitant 45 per cent GST levied on the purchase of new cars as a penalty on sound car ownership and common sense.
Although Gandotra has since taken the post down, it had spread far enough that social media users were able to comment on it. Many supported his opinions on the policy, some of them opining that the government ought to be more reasonable in their approach instead of imposing blanket bans.
This ban on old cars in Delhi requires some modifications. Nobody seems to be happy there, and even elsewhere. I also feel that it is wrong unless govt implement something like offering good money for old cars or no or less taxes on old car owners who want to purchase a new car. Something needs to be done,” somebody posted.
The controversy follows wider internet backlash against prohibition of old cars. One of the viral posts summed up this anger: “We pay EMIs for 7 years, take care of the car like family, use it for hardly 10 years… And then? The government says, ‘Scrap it.’ No check. No resale. No value. Crushed…just like our savings and dreams.”
Other accounts bring such experiences to light. For example, Varun Vij was compelled to sell his Mercedes-Benz ML350 for just Rs 2.5 lakh under the same policy. Another individual also sold his favorite diesel car, likening it to losing a family member, a feeling that still keeps the fiery debate surrounding these policies going.