Massive traffic jams were reported at the Delhi-Gurugram border on Sunday as restrictions on the entry of petrol and diesel vehicles below BS-VI emission standards came into force, leaving commuters stranded for hours along National Highway-48.
The congestion began near the Sarhaul border, where police personnel were deployed to inspect vehicles entering the national capital. Traffic slowed considerably on the main carriageway and adjoining service lanes, with queues initially stretching nearly a kilometre on the Gurugram side.
The situation worsened as the day progressed, with reports of traffic extending several kilometres along the Delhi-bound carriageway. Cars, buses, two-wheelers and commercial vehicles were caught in the congestion as motorists struggled to move through the border checkpoints.
The restrictions, introduced as part of Delhi's winter pollution-control measures, will remain in effect from November 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027.
Delhi bars non-BS VI vehicles from outside city
The Delhi government on Sunday enforced a ban on non-BS VI petrol and diesel vehicles registered outside the national capital, as part of its winter action plan to tackle deteriorating air quality. The restrictions, which came into effect on November 1, will remain in force until January 31, 2027.
The measure is expected to affect lakhs of motorists travelling daily from neighbouring cities, including Gurugram, Noida, Greater Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad. Vehicles complying with Bharat Stage VI emission standards will be permitted to enter Delhi, while electric and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles have been exempted.
๐๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฝ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฒ๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐
According to the government's notification, ambulances, fire tenders, police vehicles and other specified categories will also be exempted from the restrictions. However, motorists must carry valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates, including those driving BS VI-compliant vehicles.
The government has announced the deployment of special enforcement teams, artificial intelligence-enabled surveillance systems and automatic number plate recognition cameras at key entry points to identify non-compliant vehicles.
Electronic challans will be generated against vehicles violating the restrictions. Authorities have also directed interstate transport operators to ensure compliance with the prescribed emission standards.
Diesel buses registered outside Delhi that do not meet BS VI norms will be barred from entering the capital. Trucks and other goods vehicles merely passing through Delhi have been advised to use the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways or alternative routes.
๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ฌ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ป๐ฒ๐น ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ
More than 50 personnel from the Haryana Police and Gurugram Traffic Police were deployed near the Sarhaul border to verify vehicle registration details and emission compliance.
Officials said the inspections were necessary to prevent vehicles that did not meet the prescribed standards from entering Delhi. However, the manual verification process slowed traffic movement considerably, particularly along the heavily used Delhi-Gurugram Expressway.
The congestion affected the main carriageway, service roads and approaches near the border. Traffic officials anticipated continued disruption as enforcement teams checked vehicles throughout the day.
Gurugram Traffic Police also deployed special teams at five major routes connecting Haryana with Delhi, including Sirhaul toll, Kapashera, Bajghera, Aya Nagar and Gwal Pahari.
๐ช๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ?
Under the new restrictions, petrol and diesel vehicles registered outside Delhi that do not comply with BS-VI emission standards are prohibited from entering the national capital.
The ban covers older BS-III and BS-IV vehicles, including private cars, commercial vehicles and light, medium and heavy goods carriers registered in neighbouring states.
However, BS-VI-compliant vehicles, electric vehicles and those operating on compressed natural gas (CNG) are exempt from the restrictions. Delhi-registered vehicles are not covered by this particular entry ban, although other applicable pollution-control and vehicle-age regulations remain in force.
Authorities have advised motorists travelling from Gurugram, Noida and Ghaziabad to check their vehicle registration documents, emission standards and valid Pollution Under Control Certificates before approaching Delhi's borders.
๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ธ๐
The Delhi Traffic Police and Transport Department are coordinating enforcement with police authorities in neighbouring districts. Automatic number plate recognition cameras and radio frequency identification technology are also being used to identify vehicles that may violate the restrictions.
Officials said the traffic police's challan system is linked to the Vahan database, allowing personnel to verify registration details and determine whether a vehicle meets the required emission standards.
Since deploying personnel at every entry point is difficult, authorities also plan to use camera-based enforcement to identify violations.
In Noida, traffic police have advised commercial vehicles travelling through Delhi to other destinations to use alternative routes, including the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, to avoid unnecessary congestion at entry points.
๐๐๐ฟ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
The restrictions are intended to reduce vehicular emissions during the winter months, when Delhi frequently experiences a sharp deterioration in air quality because of unfavourable weather conditions and pollution from multiple sources.
Transport-related emissions remain a significant contributor to the Capital's pollution levels. According to estimates based on vehicle registration records, around 48 lakh pre-BS-VI vehicles are registered in NCR districts adjoining Delhi, although not all are necessarily affected by the new restrictions.
The scale of daily traffic entering Delhi has raised concerns about enforcement challenges, particularly during peak commuting hours. Officials have acknowledged that checking large numbers of vehicles without causing congestion will require coordination among traffic police and transport authorities across the NCR.
Sunday's traffic disruption highlighted the immediate impact of the restrictions on commuters using one of the busiest road corridors connecting Delhi and Haryana.