New Delhi, July 2 -- Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi Marlena, in a press conference Wednesday criticised the BJP-led Delhi government for what it called a "baseless and illogical decree" to ban petrol and diesel supply to vehicles older than 10 years, also known as End-of-Life (EoL) vehicles. She alleged that the move benefits automobile manufacturers at the expense of ordinary citizens - disproportionately affecting the working class and senior citizens. "Over 40 lakh two-wheelers and 20 lakh four-wheelers are to be taken off the road overnight. How are their owners supposed to reach work now? How will they go about their daily lives?", she questioned.
The former chief minister also questioned the logic of using a vehicle's age, rather than its emissions or fitness, as the basis for the ban, adding that many older vehicles are well-maintained and pollute less than heavily used newer ones. "The real motive appears to be to force people into buying new vehicles, helping auto companies," she alleged. She further demanded that the BJP disclose the amount it has received from automobile manufacturers in political donations over the last five years. Questioning the BJP's justification of their order on the direction of the National Green Tribunal, she stated that given the BJP's 'four-engine government', it could easily legislate a more reasonable policy which could override the NGT order.
Senior leader Manish Sisodia also criticised the policy in a post on social media, calling it poorly thought out and counterproductive. He said the ban had led to long queues at petrol pumps near Delhi's borders, as residents with 10-year-old vehicles travelled farther to refuel-adding to congestion, pollution, and suffering of the common man. "It's been only five months since they came to power, yet in such a short time, they have left no opportunity to torment the people," read the post, further stating that, "This is not a government; it's a punishment imposed on the people, one that grows heavier by the day."
Petrol pump owners in Delhi echo similar sentiments, though with varying levels of concern. A manager at a large pump in Central Delhi noted that people with multiple vehicles often bypass the rule-refueling newer vehicles and transferring the fuel to older ones still used within colonies, where checkpoints are few. Another owner called the installation of cameras at pumps "pointless," asking, "Why aren't they capturing offenders on the roads instead? We're business owners-we can't keep turning customers away." A 7-year-old autorickshaw driver said shifting rules caused confusion: "When I bought it, the life was 15 years. Now it's 10. I'll have to scrap it in three years unless they change it again."
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.