Lack of coercive action, Supreme Court order saw end-of-life vehicles still ply capital roads: CAQM tells top court

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has told the Supreme Court that lack of tough action by authorities and a top court order allow end-of-life vehicles to still ply in the national capital.

The Commission said over 63 lakh over-aged vehicles are used in the capital, and contribute to the air pollution.

The CAQM, represented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, submitted that its efforts to strictly ensure that these end-of-life vehicles were taken off the roads were thwarted by the lack of proper coercive action coupled with the Supreme Court’s order on August 12, lifting restrictions on them. The number of vehicles impounded in Delhi till June 2025 was 35,558 compared to 22,397 vehicles in 2024.

“Towards controlling vehicular pollution caused by old/ end-of-life vehicles owing to much inferior emission standards, the Commission has taken up with the States concerned and GNCTD to strictly ensure that petrol/ diesel vehicles more than 15/10 years old do not ply in the NCR… Progress in this regard, however, has been far from satisfactory for any of the NCR States and NCT of Delhi,” the CAQM submitted in a status report.

The Commission said over 15 years have been completed for BS-III Standard vehicles whereas more than 20 years have been completed for BS-II Standard vehicles and BS-I vehicles have been around for 24 years. It said these vehicles still run on the capital’s roads despite their “higher polluting potential”.

“One of the criteria determining the fitness of vehicles is its emissions. The emissions of any vehicle are tested against its BS Standard category. Thus, an otherwise fit vehicle would still be emitting pollutants as per its BS Standard. Since Delhi-NCR faces an extraordinary situation, specially during the winter season due to poor dispersal of pollutants on account of unfavourable meteorological conditions, there is a need to restrict plying of polluting vehicles based on emission standards in Delhi-NCR,” the Commission report said.

It noted that about 93% of the vehicles in Delhi NCR were light motor vehicles and two-wheelers.

The Commission said it had directed on June 3 that no buses, other than CNG/ EV/ BS-VI Diesel, including those operating under All India Tourist Permit and other service regimes, should be permitted to enter Delhi from November 1, 2026. These restrictions would, however, not be applicable to buses, registered in Delhi.

The CAQM submitted that it had directed the Delhi and other NCR States to instruct motor vehicle aggregators, delivery service providers and e-commerce entities to transition from conventional diesel/ petrol vehicles to cleaner modes on an urgent basis.

“Further, State governments in NCR have been directed to phase out existing diesel auto-rickshaws from the entire NCR by 2026 in a staggered but time-bound manner,” the CAQM stated.