Delhi: Ban on entry of commercial goods vehicles below BS-IV norms kicks in

In a determined push to clear Delhi’s choking skies, the capital’s borders turned into checkpoints of vigilance on Saturday, 1 November, as the ban on non-Delhi registered commercial vehicles with BS-III or lower emission standards came into force.

Teams from the Transport Department and Traffic Police fanned out across the city’s entry points — 23 in all — from the busy Kundli and Tikri borders to Rajokri, Kalindi Kunj, Aya Nagar, and Kapashera. Their mission: to turn back the tide of smoke-belching trucks that add to Delhi’s seasonal smog.

Officials estimate that between 50,000 and 70,000 vehicles on the roads still fall short of BS-IV norms, a sobering figure amid the capital’s recurring air quality crisis.

The restrictions, however, spare Delhi-registered goods carriers, along with BS-VI compliant, CNG, LNG, and electric vehicles — a nod to cleaner technology’s growing foothold.

The move stems from an 17 October directive by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which approved the sweeping ban as part of its winter action plan to shield the city from the thick, toxic haze that descends each year.

The operation marks Delhi’s latest stand in its long battle against pollution — a fight that, officials hope, begins at the city’s own gates.

With PTI inputs