Significant contribution from the transport sector to the overall air pollution load in the entire NCR, consistently throughout the year and more adversely during the winter season, needs no emphasis and efficient and cleaner public transport services particularly the intra-city and inter-city bus services plying to Delhi and other cities / towns in NCR would help to abate air pollution from this sector.

Towards abatement of air pollution from the vehicular sector, considering the high pollution load from commercial goods vehicles and the associated ill-effects of emission owing to such vehicles entering to Delhi, the Commission, vide Direction No. 88 dated 23.04.2025 has stipulated a strict ban on entry of all commercial goods vehicles viz. LGVs, MGVs and HGVs, other than BS-VI, CNG, LNG and EVs, into Delhi w.e.f. 01.11.2025, except such vehicles that are registered in Delhi.

Strengthening its objective to progressively reduce vehicular emissions, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) has been extensively working towards a phased transition to cleaner fuel vehicles, especially in the high-emission public transport segment. Considering the substantial contribution of inter-city, tourist and other bus services to the region’s pollution load, particularly during the winter season, the Commission has now taken a decisive step in this direction.

Direction Nos. 78 and 81 issued earlier by the Commission already stipulate a cleaner fuel regime for all intercity buses plying to Delhi-NCR from anywhere in the NCR States and from the neighbouring States / UTs of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab; only BS-VI Diesel/ CNG / EV / cleaner mode buses are permitted to ply to Delhi-NCR.

In pursuit of furthering the objective of clean air, the Commission has issued a Statutory Direction No. 93, mandating the buses operating under various service regimes including those on All India Tourist Permit, and entering Delhi, to be on cleaner modes viz. BS-VI Diesel / CNG / EV w.e.f. 01.11.2026.

These restrictions shall, however, not be applicable to such buses which are registered in Delhi.

Further, Transport Department/ Traffic Police Department of GNCTD have been directed to ensure strict compliance of the restrictions imposed as above through an appropriate mechanism like ANPR system, RFID etc. at border entry points.

All the State Governments / UT Administrations have also been advised by the Commission to widely disseminate these Directions amongst all stakeholders to ensure that only the permitted buses are destined for Delhi, beyond 31.10.2026.

Restrictions imposed vide Direction Nos. 78 and 81 shall, however, continue to be binding for the inter-city public transport bus services to Delhi-NCR.

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VM/GS

Operating Press Release