Delhi’s crackdown on dirty vehicles: Over 20,000 challans issued under GRAP-2 as city battles toxic air

Commercial diesel, petrol vehicles below BS-III turned away; CAQM bans non-Delhi BS-III trucks from November 1

Delhi’s fight against its winter smog is entering a hard-hitting phase. In just over two weeks since the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-2 came into force on October 19, more than 20,000 challans have been issued to vehicles flouting pollution norms, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

“It’s a massive enforcement drive,” said Additional Police Commissioner Satya Vir Katara, explaining that the bulk of these penalties were for vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC). “So far, over 20,000 challans have been issued, each carrying a fine of Rs 10,000,” he told ANI.

What’s triggering this crackdown

Delhi’s air quality traditionally nosedives as the festive season and winter set in, trapping emissions from vehicles, construction dust, and crop-residue burning. To pre-empt the slide, authorities triggered GRAP-2, the second-tier response under the four-stage emergency plan, aimed squarely at curbing vehicular emissions, a leading contributor to PM 2.5 levels in the city.

Under GRAP-2, traffic police have been ordered to intensify checks and restrict entry of commercial vehicles that don’t meet emission norms. “Diesel and petrol vehicles below BS-III standards, especially those not registered in Delhi, are being turned back at borders,” Katara said.

What’s banned and what’s still allowed

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), the central body overseeing pollution control in the National Capital Region, has banned entry of all non-Delhi-registered BS-III and below commercial goods vehicles from November 1.

However, there’s a brief transition window, BS-IV-compliant trucks will be allowed until October 31, 2026.

Here’s how the rules now stand:

Banned:

Non-Delhi commercial goods vehicles running on diesel or petrol below BS-III.

Allowed:

Delhi-registered commercial vehicles

Vehicles running on CNG, LNG, or electricity

BS-VI-compliant petrol or diesel vehicles, which can operate year-round

“We appeal to all citizens to cooperate with the Delhi Traffic Police so that effective action can be taken against polluting vehicles,” Katara told ANI, stressing the need for public support to make GRAP-2 work on the ground.