Delhi will prohibit other-state vehicles below BS-VI emission standards from operating in the capital every year between November 1 and January 31, as the government moves to limit vehicular emissions during the city’s most polluted months.
The Delhi Transport Department’s public notification said that other-state-registered BS-IV and older vehicles would not be allowed to ply in Delhi during the winter restriction period. The government had earlier announced a similar restriction for the current year under its Winter Action Plan, which also targets dust on roads and other contributors to deteriorating air quality.
From November 1, 2026, commercial goods vehicles classified as large, medium and heavy goods vehicles, along with buses meeting BS-IV or older standards, will not be permitted to enter the capital, according to the notification. The restriction also covers buses operating under All India Tourist Permits and other service regimes.
Vehicles powered by Compressed Natural Gas and electricity have been exempted from the ban, officials said. The exemption means that the restrictions are focused on older petrol and diesel vehicles registered outside Delhi, particularly those entering the city for freight movement, passenger services or inter-state operations.
The transport department has deployed about 250 enforcement personnel at entry points, toll plazas and identified pollution hotspots across the national capital. Officials said teams had been positioned at major access points, including the Delhi-Noida Direct Flyway, Rajokri on National Highway 48, Ghazipur, Singhu border, Tikri and Badarpur.
The enforcement arrangement places the main operational burden at Delhi’s gateways, where vehicles must be screened before entering the city. It also makes coordination with neighbouring states central to implementation, since a large share of the affected vehicles are registered outside Delhi but use the capital’s roads for deliveries, bus services and regional connectivity.
The department has written to Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, urging the states to shift towards electric vehicles or convert their fleets from diesel to BS-VI standards, an official said. The notification therefore extends beyond a city-level traffic rule: it seeks to influence the composition of vehicles serving Delhi from the wider National Capital Region and neighbouring states.
The annual window coincides with the period when Delhi’s air quality typically worsens, with emissions from transport interacting with road dust and other pollution sources. The Commission for Air Quality Management has also imposed Stage III emergency measures under the Graded Response Action Plan in Delhi-NCR to prevent further deterioration.
The new restriction adds a recurring compliance requirement for transport operators, freight companies, tourist-bus providers and state agencies. Operators using older vehicles will need to avoid entering Delhi during the designated period or use vehicles that meet the prescribed standards or run on CNG or electricity. The transport department’s enforcement teams are expected to continue checks at notified entry points and pollution hotspots through the winter restriction period.
