Right intent, wrong policy

Reactive vehicle bans can’t fix Delhi’s toxic air. Long-term planning, sustained investment in public transport, and equitable policy will help

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On Tuesday, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) amended its controversial order banning refuelling of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) in Delhi, deferring its implementation to November 1. The initial order — targeting diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol ones older than 15— was enforced starting July 1. Citing technical glitches in the number plate recognition system and integration failures in vehicle databases, the Delhi government had argued that such a policy, enforced in isolation, would only push vehicle owners into neighbouring National Capital Region (NCR) towns to refuel, defeating the very purpose of the crackdown. CAQM revised its plan to include five other high-density NCR districts in the initial rollout. The rest of NCR will follow from April 1,