Effective Saturday, commercial goods vehicles failing to meet BS-IV emission standards are no longer permitted to enter Delhi. To enforce this crucial regulation aimed at improving air quality, both the Transport Department and Traffic Police have established 23 dedicated enforcement teams. These teams will be stationed at 23 key entry points, responsible for monitoring and turning back non-compliant vehicles.
The designated enforcement locations include major border crossings such as Kundli, Rajokri, Tikri, Aya Nagar, and Kalindi Kunj, among others. Each team will be supervised by an inspector-level officer. Officials estimate that between 50,000 and 70,000 vehicles currently operating below BS-IV standards may be affected by this ban.
Enforcement teams will operate in two 12-hour shifts, covering 8 am to 8 pm and 8 pm to 8 am. As a transitional measure, commercial vehicles meeting BS-IV standards will be allowed entry until October 31, 2026. Importantly, there are no entry restrictions for commercial vehicles registered within Delhi, BS-VI compliant diesel vehicles, BS-IV compliant diesel vehicles (until October 31, 2026), or vehicles running on alternative fuels like CNG, LNG, or electricity.
This decision follows a meeting on October 17 where the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) approved the ban on polluting commercial vehicles entering the capital, in response to the city’s persistent pollution challenges. Coordination with neighboring states, particularly Haryana, has been emphasized, with joint deployments planned at over 120 locations to effectively inspect incoming vehicles and prevent non-compliant ones from entering Delhi.
While the measure is intended to curb pollution, some transporters have voiced concerns about potential increases in the prices of essential goods, urging the government to consider broader pollution control strategies. Meanwhile, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) showed improvement, dropping to 218 on Friday from a high of 373 the previous day, attributed to favorable weather conditions like rainfall and increased wind speed.