From PUCC Checks, BS-VI Vehicle Ban to Office Curbs: List of New Stricter Rules Set in Delhi to Tackle Pollution

New Delhi: As part of a tightened crackdown on air pollution, the Delhi government has rolled out a series of stricter measures, including denial of fuel to vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC), a ban on the entry of non-BS VI vehicles registered outside the national capital, encouragement of work-from-home options, and curbs on polluting commercial practices.

From midnight Thursday, vehicles without a valid PUCC will not be allowed to refuel at petrol pumps across Delhi. The Delhi Traffic Police and Transport Department’s enforcement teams will be deployed at petrol pumps and border points to ensure strict compliance, officials said.

According to officials, the Transport Department has constituted 78 to 80 enforcement teams, which will be stationed at major entry points including Kundi, Rajokri, Tikri, Aya Nagar, Kalindi Kunj, Auchandi, Mandoli, Kapashera, and the Bajghera toll/Dwarka Expressway, among others. These teams will enforce the ban on the entry of non-BS VI vehicles registered outside Delhi, which comes into effect from Thursday.

Announcing the measures, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the steps underline the government’s commitment to reducing vehicular emissions, one of the primary contributors to the city’s worsening air quality during winter.

Petrol pump operators have been directed to verify PUCC validity before dispensing fuel. Enforcement will be carried out through Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems, manual checks, and coordination between traffic police and transport officials. As the deadline approached, long queues were seen at emission testing centres across the capital, with motorists rushing to update their certificates.

In addition to vehicular curbs, the Delhi government has also activated short-term pollution control measures, including encouraging offices to adopt work-from-home or staggered work-hour models to reduce traffic congestion and help curb air pollution.

This comes days after the Delhi government imposed a blanket ban on the use of coal and firewood tandoors amidst worsening air pollution levels. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has also banned any form of open burning - including garbage - at hotels, restaurants, dhabas and street-side food joints.

The directive, issued under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), on Friday, requires all eateries to switch to electric or gas-based tandoors with immediate effect.

Officials said the restriction had already been listed as part of GRAP measures to bring down emissions during high-pollution phases.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index stood at 328 at around 8 am on Wednesday, a marginal improvement from 354 recorded on Tuesday evening, though it remained in the ‘very poor’ category.

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