44% car owners in Delhi oppose Govt's move to stop fuel supply to old vehicles, finds survey

At least 44 per cent of car owners in Delhi are against the government’s move to stop the fuel supply to old diesel and petrol vehicles, according to a LocalCircles survey.

Starting July 1, diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old will not be allowed to refuel at any fuel station in Delhi.

While some respondents said they planned to find alternate ways to get fuel, others said the rule is unfair as they have a car with low mileage and in great condition. Many owners of diesel cars believe they are being shortchanged as they were made to pay registration costs for the 15-year period, said the survey.

The move, announced by Delhi Government and backed by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), has led Delhi residents to question the rationale behind the decision, the survey said.

The survey first asked Delhi residents owning vehicles, “Delhi government is soon implementing a rule where 10-year-old diesel and 15-year-old petrol cars will be prohibited from buying fuel at petrol pumps. Do you support this move of the government?”

Out of 12,795 respondents, 49 per cent said ‘yes’, they support the Delhi government's move. 44 per cent, however, said ‘no’, they do not support the proposed move, and 7 per cent did not give a clear answer.

“To sum up, 44 percent of car owners surveyed in Delhi NCR against the Government move to stop the fuel supply to old diesel and petrol vehicles; 7 per cent do not have an opinion,” the survey said.

Apart from Delhi, commuters in the National Capital Region (NCR) are also expected to be affected by the refusal to supply fuel to old vehicles, as from November 1, 2025, similar measures are expected to begin in Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Sonipat.

62% likely to sell their old cars

Overall, the survey received over 25,000 responses from vehicle owners located across 11 districts of Delhi. 61 per cent of respondents were men, while 39 per cent of respondents were women.

The survey also asked car owners likely to be impacted by the Delhi government orders, “If you are an owner (or soon will be one) of a 10-year-old diesel or 15-year-old petrol car, what are you likely to do with your car?"

Of the 12,278 who responded, 62 per cent said that they will “sell it in a different state or to one of second hand car buyers" while 16 per cent said they planned to “buy fuel from other NCR cities." About 6 per cent of respondents said they plan to “buy fuel for another car and transfer to the old car" while 5 per cent said they “don’t / won’t have an old car that falls/ will fall in this category any time soon" and 11 per cent did not give a clear answer.