Rs 65-Lakh Land Rover Sold For Rs 8 Lakh Due To Delhi Vehicle Policy; Owner Faces Heavy Loss Amid Policy U-Turn

Meerut, India – July 5, 2025: A Delhi resident has revealed a significant financial loss incurred due to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and Supreme Court-backed policy in Delhi that bans older diesel and petrol vehicles. In a stark example of the policy's impact, a Land Rover, originally purchased for Rs 65 lakh, was reportedly sold for a mere Rs 8 lakh to a buyer outside the National Capital Region (NCR). This incident comes amidst the Delhi government's recent attempts to review and potentially roll back stringent enforcement measures of the policy.

The individual, Nitin Goyal, shared his distress after being compelled to sell his 2013 Land Rover, which he had bought for Rs 65 lakh. Due to Delhi's policy prohibiting diesel vehicles older than 10 years from plying on city roads, he was forced to sell the luxury SUV at a throwaway price of just Rs 8 lakh to a buyer in Himachal Pradesh. Adding to his woes, Goyal also had to sell his 10-year-old Mercedes C Class 220 CDI Sports Limited Edition, which cost him Rs 40 lakh, for a paltry Rs 4 lakh.

The Delhi Vehicle Policy Explained


The policy at the heart of this issue stems from a 2014 NGT ruling, later upheld by the Supreme Court, which mandated that diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old are prohibited from being used in Delhi and the NCR.

Recently, from July 1, 2025, Delhi intensified its enforcement by instructing fuel stations not to dispense fuel to these "end-of-life" (EOL) vehicles, a move that severely impacted vehicle owners. However, just days after its implementation, the Delhi government wrote to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), urging a suspension of this fuel ban, citing operational and infrastructural challenges, and acknowledging the public outcry.


A Policy U-Turn That Came Too Late

For owners like Nitin Goyal, the government's contemplation of a policy reversal has come too late. Having already sold their meticulously maintained, high-value vehicles at a fraction of their original cost to avoid impoundment and further complications, they now face the bitter reality of having incurred massive losses.

Goyal questioned the rationale behind the policy, asking why vehicles manufactured in 2013, adhering to BS-IV emission norms, are suddenly deemed unfit, while BS-IV vehicles sold until 2020 are still allowed. This situation has ignited a debate among vehicle owners and policymakers about the fairness and effectiveness of an age-based vehicle scrapping policy, especially when vehicles are well-maintained and may still have significant life left.

This incident highlights the widespread frustration among Delhi's vehicle owners who feel penalised by a policy that, while aimed at curbing pollution, often disregards the condition and utility of older vehicles.

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