Delhi bans non-BS-VI vehicles from November 1 under winter pollution plan

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced that vehicles registered outside Delhi below the BS-VI emission standard will not be allowed to enter Delhi from November 1 to January 31. The announcement was part of the Delhi Government's winter action plan to combat seasonal winter pollution.

“From 1 November to 31 January, non-Delhi vehicles below BS-6 norms will not be allowed to enter Delhi. No valid PUCC, no fuel. The Winter Action Plan will remain in force from 1 November to 28 February, with construction and demolition curbs, AI-based site monitoring, 50% Work From Home and staggered office timings,” wrote Mrs Gupta in a post on the social media platform X.

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"Furthermore, vehicles that exceed emission limits or lack a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate will be denied entry. For residents of Delhi, we are also implementing a 'No PUC, No Fuel' policy," said Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate will be allowed to refuel at 500 petrol pumps equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems from November 1. Further, parking fees at authorised parking facilities will be doubled, apart from Metro parking facilities, to discourage the use of private vehicles.

To curb pollution, the government has also imposed restrictions on construction and demolition activities. The Chief Minister has announced that construction sites will be monitored through AI-enabled cameras linked directly to the government's control and command centre. Registration on the ‘Malba App’ will be mandatory for building plan approval. It also suggested 50% work from home, staggered office timings and promotion of electric buses and metro services to reduce traffic congestion and pollution.