New Delhi
oi-Gaurav Sharma
Delhi is gearing up with a series of new restrictions covering vehicles, parking, offices, construction and road dust as it looks to tighten control over pollution during the winter. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced the measures following a Delhi-NCR pollution review meeting chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav.
Here are the key changes:
To combat winter air pollution, Delhi is implementing measures from November 1, including restricting non-BS-VI vehicles, doubling parking charges, staggering office timings, enforcing ‘No PUC, No Fuel’, and imposing construction bans until January 20.
1. Non-BS-VI vehicles from outside Delhi to face entry restrictions
Vehicles registered outside the capital that don’t meet BS-VI emission standards will not be allowed to enter Delhi from November 1. The government has not fixed an end date yet.
2. Parking charges to double
Parking charges at authorised facilities will be doubled from November 1 to February 28. Electric vehicles will be exempt from the increase, while DMRC-operated parking facilities will also be excluded.
3. Office timings to be staggered
MCD offices will open and close from 8.30 am to 5 pm while Delhi government offices start and finish at 10 am and 6.30 pm respectively. Government and private offices will also have to reduce onsite staffing by 50 per cent and the remaining employees can work from home.
4. 150 more electric buses planned
Delhi will get 150 more electric buses in addition to the current 5,088 buses. Authorities also plan to improve connectivity between residential areas and public transport stops.
5. ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ rule to be enforced
This will be enforced at 500 petrol pumps that have been provided with automatic number plate recognition cameras. Pollution-control centres will also be upgraded.
6. Construction restrictions to get tougher
Dust-generating demolition and outdoor construction will be banned from November 1 to December 10. Authorities also plan to impose a complete construction and demolition ban (including indoor work) from December 10 to January 20.
7. More monitoring of construction sites
Of the 723 registered construction sites, 600 currently have web cameras. The government wants all the sites to be covered by the end of October and the violation monitoring would use an AI-based system.
8. Road cleaning and pollution hotspots under focus
Authorities have drafted out separate action plans for Delhi’s 62 identified pollution hotspots. The government also wants to deep-clean all roads (and market roads) by October 31.
9. Garbage burning to face tighter checks
Teams will monitor incidents of waste burning while a proposed unit involving Delhi Police will focus specifically on the problem. Temporary heated spaces are also being planned to reduce the use of wood and coal for heating.
10. Pollution violators to face action
The government said it had taken action against around 1.15 lakh units for pollution-related violations from December 2025 to September 26, 2026, and sealed 2,283 units.
The measures are aimed at cutting down emissions and dust during Delhi’s most challenging pollution months when vehicular emissions, construction activity, road dust and other local sources can contribute to the worsening of air pollution.
