Delhi will impose a blanket ban on the entry of diesel vehicles below the BS-6 emission standard from December 18 as part of stricter measures to tackle air pollution, environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced on Tuesday. The move also includes fuel restrictions for vehicles without valid pollution certificates and penalties for polluting commercial activity. Apologising to residents for persistent poor air quality, Sirsa said no government could completely clean Delhi’s air in nine to 10 months, but claimed daily improvements were being achieved.
Vehicle Entry Ban, Fuel Restrictions From December 18
Under the new rules, only vehicles registered in Delhi will be allowed to operate within the national capital. Privately owned vehicles registered in other states will be barred from entering the city. Additionally, vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) will not be provided petrol or diesel at fuel stations from December 18.
Sirsa said strict enforcement would be carried out across the city to ensure compliance. Trucks carrying construction material will face heavy fines, and offending vehicles will be seized. He warned that violations would not be tolerated as authorities intensify efforts to curb emissions during the high-pollution period.
‘Impossible to fix pollution in 9–10 months’, says minister
Addressing the media, Sirsa apologised to Delhi residents for the pollution crisis. “I apologise to the people of Delhi. It is impossible for any government to completely clean pollution in nine to 10 months,” he said. However, he claimed the current administration had performed better than the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, asserting that Delhi’s AQI had reduced day by day due to consistent action.
Targeting opposition parties, Sirsa described pollution as a “disease” caused by 10–11 years of AAP rule and 15 years of Congress governance. He questioned Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi over their silence during last year’s pollution crisis, claiming conditions were worse then.
Rs 9.21 crore fines imposed, generators and halls under scanner
The minister said fines worth Rs 9.21 crore had been imposed on polluters through the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). He added that all departments were working in coordination and enforcement had been tightened against diesel generators across the city.
To discourage burning of wood, the government has distributed 10,000 electric heaters to security guards. Sirsa also warned that banquet halls found violating pollution norms would be sealed without exception.