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Delhi-registered BS4 petrol cars can run in Delhi-NCR during GRAP IV with a valid PUCC, but out-of-state BS4 petrol vehicles are barred from entering Delhi.
If your BS4 petrol car is registered in Delhi, you are allowed to drive it within Delhi-NCR, including crossing into neighbouring NCR areas and returning to Delhi. (AI-generated representational image)
Why GRAP Stage IV is back again
The Centre for Air Quality Management has rolled out GRAP Stage IV after air quality worsened sharply in the region. Delhi’s AQI touched 400 on January 17, placing it in the “very poor” category and triggering the strictest set of restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan.
Vehicle movement rules become tighter as GRAP stages escalate. Under GRAP Stage III, BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel vehicles are barred from operating in Delhi-NCR. With Stage IV in force, additional restrictions apply.
What this means for Delhi-registered BS4 petrol cars
If your BS4 petrol car is registered in Delhi, you are allowed to drive it within Delhi-NCR, including crossing into neighbouring NCR areas and returning to Delhi. The key requirement is that the vehicle must have a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC). Without a valid PUCC, the vehicle is not legally allowed to operate, regardless of registration.
However, the rule changes if your BS4 petrol vehicle is registered outside Delhi. Such vehicles are not permitted to enter Delhi while GRAP Stage IV is active. They can continue to operate in their respective states or NCR regions outside Delhi, again only if they have a valid PUCC.
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What’s changed recently and the PUCC rule you can’t ignore
This distinction between Delhi-registered and non-Delhi-registered BS4 petrol vehicles is relatively new. It was announced last month by Delhi’s environment minister, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, when GRAP Stage IV was previously in effect. Earlier, BS4 petrol vehicles were allowed to move freely across state borders, irrespective of where they were registered.
Another rule currently in force is the “no PUCC, no fuel” policy. Delhi petrol pumps will not dispense fuel to any vehicle that does not have a valid pollution certificate. Unlike the entry restriction, this rule applies throughout the year and is not limited to GRAP Stage IV.
To summarise, during GRAP Stage IV, Delhi-registered BS4 petrol vehicles can be driven in Delhi-NCR with a valid PUCC. BS4 petrol vehicles registered outside Delhi are not allowed to enter the city. Any vehicle without a valid PUCC will be denied fuel in Delhi, regardless of registration or GRAP stage.
(This question was asked by Rohit Khanna from Delhi)
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