BS EDIT: Delhi’s Reversed ELV Ban Exposes Gaps in Pollution Strategy

By Business StandardPublished On Jul 7, 2025

Ban in Place, Then Gone

Delhi’s ban on old vehicles lasted just 48 hours. Poor planning and public pushback forced a reversal

Courts Approved It

The ELV ban is based on court rulings and data showing older vehicles emit up to 36x more pollution

No Tools to Enforce

Delhi lacked monitoring systems and had only 13 scrapping centres for over 6 million ELVs

No Answers, Just Anger

No clarity on refunds for taxes paid. Most affected? Two-wheeler owners

Pollution Has Many Sources

Construction dust, crop burning, and poorly maintained vehicles also worsen air quality

EVs & Testing Over Bans

Cleaner air needs better testing, more EVs, and smarter fuel norms—not age-based bans