In an aggressive step taken to chill down pollution in the National Capital Region, the Delhi government issued a regulation banning refuelling of diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years, effective from July 1, 2025. Envisioned along the line of a similar directive from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the purpose of this policy is to reduce emissions from vehicles-the primary cause of Delhi's infamously bad air quality. Simultaneously, the policy has imposed heavy emotional and financial burdens on many residents, including Varun Vij Mercedes sale, who had to sell his treasured car at a shockingly reduced price.
The Rule and Its Immediate Impact
- With this law, all fuel stations in Delhi must not fuel any vehicle exceeding the permissible age limit. The objective of the law is to promote a greener environment while it exhibits a fine filament of deep agony for thousands of vehicle owners. With no option to circumvent it, the owners find themselves forced to either scrap or sell their vehicles, usually at prices far below their market value.
- In all the pitches for the major development project, the vehicle sold for a very small price of Rs 2.5 lakh. The purchaser was acknowledged to be a good man. Among the first to feel the pinch of the new regulation was one 41-year-old Delhi resident, Varun Vij. Vij purchased an ML350 of the Mercedes-Benz brand in 2015 at an exorbitant sum of Rs 84 lakh. However, with an impending threat of the fuel ban looming over his head, he had to part away with this jewel for merely Rs 2.5 lakh.
An Emotional Farewell to a Trusted Companion
- For Vij, selling his luxury SUV was not just about money but a lot more emotional. Talking to the media, he expressed that the car had a multitude of memories attached to it. And the memories that it has given to us can be traced far beyond the name of the car; it has been an object of family activities and bonding for years," He reminisced that the family would go on a weekly 7 to 8 hours road trip just to pick up his son from his hostel. "The car has been a part of our lives for 10 years."
- The vehicle had to its credit only 1.35 lakh kilometres, and the condition of the vehicle still remained very good. It had been going fine with routine maintenance, minimal wear-and-tear, and regular servicing. "The car was absolutely fine. No major breakdowns ever. Only the routine service as well as the tyres were changed," said Vij.
No Option Left but to Sell
- Vij had initially thought of renewing the vehicle’s registration and continue using it. However, the policy left no room for exceptions. “I was hopeful I’d be able to renew it somehow. That didn’t happen,” he said. Worse still, even at ₹2.5 lakh, finding a buyer became difficult. “No one was even ready to buy it for ₹2.5 lakh. Finally, I had to sell it out of compulsion.”
- The realization of losing ₹81.5 lakh over a decade hit him hard. “Imagine, ₹84 lakh reduced to ₹2.5 lakh. But there was no option. I couldn’t even use it,” he said in frustration.
A Forced Shift to Electric Mobility
With limited choices before him, Vij has now bought an electric vehicle, purchasing a new model for ₹62 lakh to try and future-proof his investment. “I've bought an EV now; it cost ₹62 lakh. I just want to use this one for 20 years, provided no new government rule gets introduced again,” he said, expressing a concern shared by many vehicle owners about ever-changing regulations.
A City-Wide Problem Unfolding
- Since the rule came into effect, Vij has been getting calls from all his friends and acquaintances in Delhi, who are caught in similar situations. "I have had many people reach out; they too own vehicles in the 10-year zone and are wondering what to do next," he shared.
- The problem is far from being an isolated one. Thousands of vehicle owners across Delhi find themselves with ageing vehicles that, as of now, cannot be legally fuelled for road use in the city. Some of them, in best-case scenarios, are selling off their vehicles at distress prices; others are contemplating conversion to electric or hybrid, at least to avoid this problem in the future.
Public Concern Grows Despite Environmental Goals
- While the government may truly have had the intention to address the diminishing air quality in Delhi, the application of the ban has led to certain questions.
- There have also been opposing views that the imposition should have not been so sudden, not giving the common man and woman enough time to adjust to the change. There are so many concerns from the public over genuine financial losses faced by them, emotional turmoil, and lack of EV infrastructure
As Delhi is progressing towards becoming a greener and sustainable city, almost the entire burden is being shouldered by vehicle owners. The harsh case of Varun Vij stands as a human cost behind policy changes even for worthy objectives such as environmental protection.
While the regulation represents a gallant leap toward clean transport, it brings forth the issue of placing equal emphasis on ecological sustainability vis-à-vis economic equity and personal impact, for one with this regulation being in place: tomorrow others will go through the same agonizing tribulations. Thousands more will be facing similar dilemmas in the ensuing months as the ripple effect of this regulation sweeps across the capital.
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