Delhi: No entry of old cars from today, no fuel without pollution certificate

Planning to drive to Delhi? You may want to check whether your vehicle has a BS-VI engine or not, as the capital’s stringent anti-pollution norms adopted by the Delhi government will come into effect from Thursday. The rules also mean that fuel stations will not serve vehicles that do not have a valid PUC certificate. File photo: Vehicles move on the Barapula flyover on a foggy winter morning in New Delhi, Thursday, November 27, 2025. Delhi’s air quality remained in the ‘very poor’ category for the 14th consecutive day on Thursday, with the AQI recorded at 377 in the city and it is predicted that there will be no respite in the coming week. (PTI photo)

The move to allow only cars with BS-VI engines may affect 12 lakh vehicles entering Delhi from Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and Noida. As per available data, more than four lakh vehicles from Noida, two lakh from Gurugram and 5.5 lakh from Ghaziabad will be banned from entering the national capital. FILE – A man protests against the government’s lack of action to tackle air pollution in New Delhi, India on November 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup, File)

Delhi has already installed automatic number plate recognition cameras at fuel stations to detect vehicles that do not have a valid PUC (pollution under control) certificate. These measures, announced by Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday, will remain in place till Phase IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) is implemented in the national capital. A woman crosses a road in Gurugram, covering her face to protect herself from pollution, as air quality continues to deteriorate across North India. (PTI)

ALSO READ India, Israel FTA progress to be reviewed during Goyal's Tel Aviv visit

The move comes amid the capital’s efforts to fight deadly smog and air pollution – a winter rite of passage. Every season, as temperatures drop, pollutants – which remain near the surface – become trapped, causing a severe deterioration in air quality. Delhi-Dehradun Expressway./Image

In areas with dense traffic, particulate pollution from vehicles accounts for up to 40 percent. Authorities argue that curbing the movement of high-emission vehicles during periods of extreme pollution is necessary to reduce pollution levels and protect public health. File photo: Vehicles move on a road amid smog due to poor air quality, in New Delhi, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. (PTI Photo/Karma Bhutia)

580 police officers will be deployed to conduct vehicle inspections, supported by 37 enforcement vans deployed at 126 checkpoints. Apart from this, teams from Transport Department, Municipal Corporation and Food Department will be deployed at petrol pumps to ensure compliance. File photo: Police and security personnel take a protester into custody during a protest against the deteriorating air quality in the national capital, near India Gate, in New Delhi on Sunday, November 23, 2025. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the air quality remained in the “very poor” category on Sunday morning, with the overall air quality index (AQI) recorded at 381. (PTI Photo/Karma Bhutia)

ALSO READ Cyber-extortion attempt foiled in Delhi; Former employee arrested for threatening businessman

A dense blanket of hazardous smog blanketed many parts of the national capital on Thursday, with areas like Najafgarh witnessing low visibility as roads and areas remained shrouded in fog. Air quality readings on the Central Pollution Control Board’s Sameer app showed Delhi’s AQI at 6 am at 356, placing it in the ‘very poor’ category. File:Delhi Smoke/Image