Delhi Government Suspends Purchase of New ICE Vehicles for 6 Months

The Delhi government has suspended the purchase of new petrol, diesel, CNG and hybrid vehicles for the next six months as part of a broader fuel conservation drive launched amid rising global energy concerns linked to the ongoing geopolitical situation.

“Delhi government has decided that for the next six months, there will no purchase of new petrol, diesel, CNG and hybrid vehicles,” Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said.

The announcement is part of the “My India, My Contribution” Delhi Action Plan, which the government said was launched in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for fuel conservation and “wise spending”.

“In response to the call of the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, amidst the current global situation, war, and rising energy challenges, the Delhi government is set to launch the ‘My India, My Contribution’ Delhi Action Plan,” Gupta said in a social media post.

The plan includes measures aimed at reducing fuel and electricity consumption, including greater use of public transport, carpooling, work-from-home arrangements and curbs on government expenditure.

Several steps including “Metro Monday”, working from home for two days a week, limited use of government vehicles and greater use of video conferencing for official meetings will be implemented, Gupta said.

The government also urged residents to voluntarily observe one “No Vehicle Day” every week and increase the use of public transport systems such as metro rail and buses.

To improve last-mile connectivity for government employees, Delhi has prepared a route plan for 58 feeder buses covering 29 government colonies.

Employees spending at least one-fourth of their transport allowance on public transport will receive an additional 10% allowance, while logistics and freight companies will be encouraged to shift more cargo movement to railways to reduce diesel consumption.

The government has also decided to cut domestic travel expenditure across departments by up to 20%, with half of official meetings to be conducted online.

Meanwhile, state-owned oil marketing companies have increased petrol and diesel prices by around Rs 3 per litre, marking the first increase in over four years, as state-run fuel retailers face mounting pressure from rising global energy prices linked to the conflict in West Asia.

Recently, the state government released the draft EV Policy 2026, which proposed incentives for electric vehicles while tightening restrictions on internal combustion engine vehicles in phases.