Delhi Turns Back 1,500 Vehicles on First Day of Pollution Drive, Fines Total Rs 68 Lakh

On the very first day of implementing its Winter Action Plan to control air pollution, the Indian capital Delhi refused entry to about 1,500 vehicles. Authorities collected a total of 68 lakh 40 thousand rupees in fines and environmental compensation for various rule violations that day.

In addition, after checking about 15,000 vehicles, authorities issued 566 challans for violations relating to Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificates.

According to official data available up to 5pm on Sunday, the total fines included 56 lakh 60 thousand rupees for PUC violations, 2 lakh rupees for defying entry restrictions at the border, and 9 lakh 80 thousand rupees as environmental compensation for pollution from construction and demolition work.

To enforce the ban on entry of pre-BS-6 vehicles registered outside Delhi, the traffic police and transport department checked a total of 14,930 vehicles, of which 10.31 percent were turned back at the border itself.

In that operation, 127 challans were issued and 62 vehicles were seized, with traffic police teams imposing 2 lakh rupees in fines.

The vehicles turned back included 140 light motor vehicles, 54 light commercial vehicles, 95 heavy goods vehicles and 34 buses. Of 1,423 motorcycles, three-wheelers and other vehicles checked, 789 were turned back and 38 were seized.

According to the environment department, 7,279 vehicles whose destination was not Delhi were also checked, and 314 of them were turned back, though no challans were issued in those cases.

CNG-powered vehicles, electric cars and vehicles engaged in emergency and essential services were kept outside the ban, and 740 such vehicles were verified and allowed to enter Delhi.

In a separate drive against vehicles running without valid PUC certificates, 566 challans and fines of 56 lakh 60 thousand rupees were imposed — traffic police issued 493 challans worth 49 lakh 30 thousand rupees and the transport department 73 challans worth 7 lakh 30 thousand rupees.

Dust from construction and demolition sites was also targeted: 300 construction sites were inspected, violations of dust-control rules were found at 32 of them, and environmental compensation of 9 lakh 80 thousand rupees was imposed.

There were 91 large sites, with violations at 16; two stop-work orders, four show-cause notices and 4 lakh rupees in compensation were imposed there. Of 209 small sites under 500 square metres, 17 had violations, drawing 15 stop-work orders, 15 notices and 5 lakh 80 thousand rupees in compensation. In all, the 300 sites received 17 stop-work orders and 19 show-cause notices.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa wrote on X that enforcement teams were checking compliance with vehicle entry restrictions, PUC certificates and construction dust-control rules, noting that 14,930 vehicles were checked, 566 challans issued for missing PUC certificates and 300 construction sites inspected that day.

Under the Winter Action Plan, these restrictions will remain in force for various periods from 1 November to 28 February next year, and pre-BS-6 vehicles registered outside Delhi will not be able to enter the capital until 31 January.

With some exceptions, all construction and demolition work will be fully stopped from 10 December to 20 January, parking fees in approved parking areas in Delhi have been doubled until 28 February, and government and private offices have been asked to allow at most 50 percent of staff to work in person until 31 January.