Starting today, vehicles without BS-VI engines will be prohibited from entering the national capital as the Delhi government intensifies its anti-pollution efforts. Additionally, fuel stations across the city will refuse to serve vehicles lacking a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate.
Key Highlights of the New Restrictions
The decision to restrict entry to only BS-VI compliant vehicles is projected to impact approximately 12 lakh vehicles that daily commute into Delhi from neighbouring areas such as Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, and Noida. This includes over 4 lakh vehicles from Noida, 2 lakh from Gurugram, and 5.5 lakh from Ghaziabad, all of which will now be barred from entering the capital.
To enforce these rules effectively, 580 police personnel will conduct vehicle inspections, supported by 37 enforcement vans positioned at 126 checkpoints along the borders. Additionally, officials from the Transport Department, Municipal Corporation, and Food Department will be stationed at petrol pumps to monitor compliance.
The Delhi government has already installed automatic number plate recognition cameras at fuel stations to automatically detect and flag vehicles without valid PUC certificates.
These measures were announced by Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday and will remain in effect as long as Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is active in the national capital.
Rationale Behind the Measures
The stringent steps follow research indicating that vehicular emissions contribute significantly to winter pollution in Delhi, accounting for 19.7 per cent of PM 10 and 25.1 per cent of PM 2.5 particles.
In parallel efforts, authorities are working to alleviate traffic congestion at 100 identified hotspots and developing an integrated traffic management system to reduce waiting times and emissions at signals.
Also Read: Delhi continues to choke as AQI remains ‘very poor’
Broader Context and Additional Developments
On a national level, the Lok Sabha is scheduled to debate air pollution today under Rule 193. Opposition parties, including the Congress, have long demanded this discussion, with Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi consistently raising the issue both inside and outside Parliament.
At 5 pm, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav is expected to respond to the short-duration discussion, which is viewed as an important platform for addressing matters of public interest.
Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) has remained in the "Severe" to "Very Poor" range since November. As of 4 pm on Wednesday, the city's 24-hour average AQI was recorded at 334, falling in the "very poor" category—an improvement from Tuesday's figure of 354.
To protect vulnerable groups, physical classes for primary schools have been suspended, while secondary and higher secondary students have the option to attend online or in-person. Government and private offices have been directed to function with only 50 per cent staff presence on-site, encouraging work-from-home for the rest.
Also Read: Delhi mandates 50% work from home amid air quality crisis
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