Delhi imposes vehicle entry bans and construction curbs under winter pollution plan from November 1
Non-BS-VI vehicles from outside Delhi face entry restrictions until January 31. Parking charges double, offices move to 50 percent work-from-home, and dust-generating construction is banned through January. GRAP Stage I remains in force as AQI stays in the poor range.
New Delhi2 min read
Last updated
Delhi authorities activated a set of winter pollution measures on November 1 that restrict entry of non-BS-VI vehicles registered outside the city, ban dust-generating construction and demolition work, and double parking charges at authorised sites. The rules run until January 31 for vehicles and construction limits, with a fuller construction ban planned from mid-December to mid-January. Government and private offices must keep physical attendance at 50 percent, and staggered timings apply to municipal and state offices.
The Commission for Air Quality Management had already invoked Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi-NCR in late October after the Air Quality Index crossed into the poor category. On October 21 the daily average stood near 244. Stage I applies when the index sits between 201 and 300. It intensifies dust control at construction sites, prohibits open burning of biomass and municipal waste, and stops the use of coal or firewood in tandoors. Trucks without a destination inside Delhi must use peripheral expressways. Inter-state buses that are not CNG, electric or BS-VI diesel face limits.
The new vehicle rule targets an estimated 10 lakh older petrol and diesel vehicles coming from Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad. CNG, electric and emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire engines remain exempt. Enforcement includes e-challans for non-compliant vehicles. A separate “No PUCC, No Fuel” rule denies fuel to vehicles lacking a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate. Parking fees at authorised facilities double from November 1 to February 28 to discourage private cars; Metro parking stays exempt.
Construction restrictions prohibit dust-generating demolition and outdoor civil work from November 1 to January 31, except for essential public infrastructure projects. Finishing, plumbing and electrical work may continue if dust-control measures are followed. A complete ban on all construction and demolition, including indoor activity, is scheduled from December 20 to January 20. Officials said the measures form part of an 11-point plan involving about 30 agencies that also covers road dust, industrial emissions and green cover. Continuous ambient monitoring stations are set to expand from 47 to 60, with 334 enforcement teams deployed.
Office adjustments aim to cut peak-hour traffic. Municipal Corporation of Delhi offices shift to 8.30 am to 5 pm, while Delhi government offices run from 10 am to 6.30 pm through February 28. The 50 percent work-from-home requirement applies to both government and private offices. These steps sit alongside the existing GRAP Stage I measures that remain in force while the index stays in the poor range.
Delhi’s winter air quality typically worsens as temperatures drop and wind speeds fall, trapping pollutants from vehicles, construction, industry and crop residue. The current package combines entry controls, parking price signals, staggered work patterns and construction limits. Compliance will depend on the number of e-challans issued, the volume of construction complaints logged and the actual reduction in peak-hour traffic counts. The rules remain in place at least until the end of January, after which authorities will review whether further stages of GRAP become necessary.
