List of Cars Prohibited from Using Petrol and Diesel Unveiled

New Delhi Implements Stringent Driving Bans to Combat Air Pollution

New Delhi has taken drastic measures to combat its severe air pollution problem by implementing stringent driving bans. The city has been grappling with the title of being the world’s most polluted city for several days now, with hazardous levels of air quality. In response, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has activated Stage 4 of its Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to address the issue.

To control the number of vehicles on the road, the following restrictions have been put into effect:

– Entry of all petrol and diesel trucks, except those carrying essential commodities, into Delhi has been banned. However, CNG and electric trucks will still be allowed to enter the city.
– Driving 10-year-old diesel vehicles and 15-year-old petrol vehicles is completely prohibited.
– Cars registered outside Delhi that comply with BS3 emission standards for petrol and BS3 and BS4 emission standards for diesel have been banned. Bharat Stage (BS) emission standards regulate the amount of air pollutants emitted by vehicles in India, focusing on emission control, fuel efficiency, and engine design.
– Petrol cars that meet the BS4 and BS6 emission norms are still permitted to ply on Delhi roads.

Delhi, with a population of 30 million people, experiences toxic smog every winter, primarily caused by stubble burning in neighboring agrarian states. The levels of PM2.5 particles, which are so small that they can enter the bloodstream, reached 184 micrograms per cubic meter on Monday, exceeding the daily maximum recommended by the World Health Organization by 12 times.

The implementation of these driving bans is a crucial step towards improving the air quality in New Delhi and protecting the health of its residents.