BS6-non-compliant vehicles have been prohibited from entering Delhi as part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-II), authorities announced.
On November 1, the Delhi Traffic Police conducted checks at the Singhu border, inspecting 7,279 vehicles. During the operation, 714 vehicles were turned back and 38 were impounded, while 10 vehicles were issued fines.
The police held a coordination meeting with officials from neighboring districts including Noida, Faridabad, Gurugram, Sonipat and Bahadurgarh on October 25 to ensure effective enforcement of the restrictions. Discussions addressed reducing traffic congestion near Delhi’s borders, checking polluting vehicles and preventing buses that do not meet emission standards from entering the city.
Delhi Traffic Police reported that more than 10,000 challans for traffic and pollution violations are issued daily. The meeting also covered actions against overage petrol and diesel vehicles and plans to divert trucks not bound for Delhi through the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.
According to applicable regulations, buses operating in the Delhi-NCR region must use electricity, compressed natural gas (CNG) or BS6-compliant diesel fuel. The government plans to increase mechanical road sweeping, water sprinkling and other dust-control measures alongside deploying additional enforcement teams as GRAP restrictions are strengthened.
Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa emphasized the necessity of joint efforts between Delhi and neighboring NCR districts to tackle air pollution. He stated, under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, that “stricter checks, smoother traffic movement and cleaner public transport” are essential to improve air quality during winter.
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) had invoked Stage 1 of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi-NCR on October 21 following a deterioration in air quality index (AQI) levels.
To raise public awareness, the Delhi Traffic Police has employed print and social media, radio announcements, information boards at Delhi’s borders and pamphlet distribution.