Why Delhi will bar older vehicles registered elsewhere from November 1
Vehicles registered outside Delhi that do not meet BS-VI emission standards will be barred from entering the capital from November 1, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Monday.
The measure is part of a winter pollution plan that also raises parking charges, restricts construction and demolition work, and tightens checks on polluting vehicles.
Sirsa announced the measures after a meeting on Delhi-NCR pollution chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and PWD Minister Parvesh Verma also attended.
The government said it would publicise the vehicle restriction in advance but did not specify when it would end. Sirsa said CNG vehicles would be exempt from a separate restriction concerning BS-IV vehicles.
Charges at authorised parking sites will double from November 1 to February 28 to discourage private vehicle use. Electric vehicles will be exempt from the increase, as will parking facilities owned and managed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.
Office hours will also be staggered during that period. Municipal Corporation of Delhi offices will operate from 8.30 am to 5 pm, while Delhi government offices will open from 10 am to 6.30 pm.
The government said public and private offices would reduce on-site staffing by 50 per cent, with the remaining employees working from home.
Delhi will add 150 electric buses to its existing fleet of 5,088, Sirsa said. The government also plans to improve connections between neighbourhoods and public transport stops to encourage metro and bus use.CHECKS AT PETROL PUMPS, CURBS ON CONSTRUCTION
The “No PUC, No Fuel” rule will be enforced at Delhi’s 500 petrol pumps equipped with automatic number plate recognition cameras. An awareness campaign is planned for October, followed by upgrades to pollution under control centres in November.
The cameras will also be checked, and about 2.5 lakh vehicles will undergo fitness tests at three automated stations.
Dust-generating demolition and outdoor construction work will be prohibited from November 1 to December 10. From December 10 to January 20, the government plans a complete ban on construction and demolition work, including indoor activity, officials said.
Of the 723 construction sites registered on the government’s monitoring system, 600 have web cameras.
The government aims to cover all registered sites by the end of October and is using an AI-enabled system to identify violations. Registration on the MCD Malba App will also become a condition for building plan approval.ROADS, WASTE BURNING AND POLLUTION HOTSPOTS
Sirsa said 42 of Delhi’s 62 identified pollution hotspots had been brought under control. Officials have drawn up plans for each hotspot covering a three-kilometre radius and will monitor sources of pollution within those areas.
The government aims to redevelop 3,065 km of roads in 2026, of which 1,193 km had been completed by September 20. It plans to deep-clean all roads, including those in markets, by October 31.
The presentation at the meeting listed 18,484 pending complaints, including 6,914 concerning potholes; a 72-hour procedure is in place to address pothole complaints.
Teams will monitor garbage burning, while a proposed unit with Delhi Police will focus on the problem. Temporary heated spaces are also planned to discourage people from burning wood, coal and other material to stay warm.
Sirsa said action had been taken against around 1.15 lakh units for pollution-related violations between December 2025 and September 26, 2026, and 2,283 had been sealed. Departments would also be held accountable for pollution found on or around their properties, he said.
The government said it had recorded 71 lakh plantings against a target of 70 lakh. It will now focus on whether the trees and shrubs survive, with an audit planned for March 2027.- Ends
