Delhi vehicle curbs kick in from November 1: Non-BS-VI, diesel buses, outstation trucks among those barred
The Delhi Traffic Police has announced fresh restrictions under the revised Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on vehicles entering the national capital from November 1, 2026 (Sunday) and urged motorists to check whether their vehicles meet the requirements before travelling to Delhi.In a post on X, the Delhi Traffic Police said the rules would apply to specific categories of vehicles as part of efforts to control pollution and improve air quality in the capital.Delhi recently recorded several days of ‘poor’ air quality.
However, overnight rain and thunderstorms brought some relief on Friday morning as the air quality improved to the ‘satisfactory’ category. The air quality index (AQI) was 90 at 9.05 am, down 132 points from 222 at 4 pm on Thursday, when it was in the poor category.List of vehicles allowed in Delhi from November 1Vehicles meeting BS-VI emission standards, along with CNG and electric vehicles, will be allowed to enter and operate in Delhi.Vehicles covered under specific exemptions in the notification will also be permitted, subject to the applicable rules.Notably, Bharat Stage (BS) norms are emission standards introduced by the Indian government to limit pollution caused by motor vehicles.
They set limits for pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC) and particulate matter (PM). India currently follows Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) standards, which came into force across the country in April 2020. List of vehicles not allowed in Delhi from November 1Vehicles registered outside Delhi: From November 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027, trucks and other vehicles registered outside Delhi will not be allowed to enter or operate in the capital, except those running on CNG or electricity and vehicles meeting BS-VI emission standards.Vehicles without a valid PUCC: All vehicles must carry a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC).
Even BS-VI-compliant vehicles will be denied entry without a valid certificate.Non-destination vehicles: Goods vehicles that are not headed for Delhi must avoid entering the capital. They have been advised to take the Eastern or Western Peripheral Expressway or other alternative routes.Interstate diesel buses below BS-VI standards: Diesel buses arriving in Delhi from other states will not be allowed to enter if they do not meet BS-VI emission standards.What is GRAP Stage-I and why is it implemented?Stage-I is the first level of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which is activated in Delhi-NCR when the AQI falls between 201 and 300, classified as ‘poor’.The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) brings these measures into force to tackle pollution from sources such as road dust, vehicle emissions and open waste burning.The first stage focuses on reducing pollution at its source, with steps aimed at controlling dust from construction and roads, limiting vehicle emissions and checking industrial pollution.
