From tomorrow, non-BS VI cars from outside can’t enter Delhi
Sirsa also announced that beginning Thursday, vehicles that do not have a valid pollution under control certificate (PUCC) will not be sold fuel at fuel pumps in the capital.
3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Dec 17, 2025 07:47 AM IST
The Delhi Traffic Police announced the integration of traffic challan payments with the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) across all BBPS-enabled UPI platforms. (File Photo)
No non-BS VI private vehicle registered outside Delhi will be allowed to enter the capital from Thursday, the Delhi government has announced. Private vehicles that flout the entry ban will be seized, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Tuesday.
Sirsa also announced that beginning Thursday, vehicles that do not have a valid pollution under control certificate (PUCC) will not be sold fuel at fuel pumps in the capital.
After three straight days of ‘severe’ air, including the second worst bad-air day on the record on Sunday, the air quality index (AQI) in Delhi improved to ‘very poor’on Tuesday. The average AQI on Tuesday was 354, somewhat better than the levels of 427, 461, and 431 recorded on the preceding three days.
“There is only tomorrow [in between]; from the day after, no non-Delhi-registered vehicle that complies with emissions standards lower than BS VI will enter Delhi, and if any such vehicle is found in Delhi, it will be seized,” Sirsa said on Tuesday.
The Minister clarified that this order was targeted specifically at privately owned vehicles; the ban on the entry of non-BS VI commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses was in place already.
Restrictions under stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) have been in effect in the national capital region from Sunday. This includes the most stringent anti-pollution restrictions such as discontinuation of physical classes in schools.
A high-level meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office last month noted that 37 per cent of vehicles in Delhi-NCR were heavily polluting, compliant only with the outdated Bharat Stage (BS) I, BS II, and BS III emission norms. The restrictions announced on Tuesday are aimed at tackling this burden of vehicular pollution, which remains one of the largest contributors to toxic air in the region.
Sirsa conceded that the state government faces an uphill task to improve the air quality in the capital.
“As I had said earlier, we are struggling to improve the average AQI in Delhi every month. I apologise to the people of Delhi. I want to say that it is impossible for any government to completely eliminate pollution in 9-10 months [during which the BJP government has been in power],” he said. Sirsa blamed the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress governments for creating the situation that Delhi finds itself in currently.
On Monday, fans gathered at the Arun Jaitley Stadium to welcome footballer Lionel Messi in a choking haze switched to chanting “AQI, AQI” when Chief Minister Rekha Gupta took the stage, expressing their frustration over the hazardous air in the city.
The slight improvement in air quality on Tuesday was the result of strong winds that helped disperse pollutants, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai.
Professional Background
Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education.
Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education.
Recent Notable Articles (December 2025)
Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses:
1. The Air Pollution Crisis
"A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure.
"Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR.
"Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter.
2. Enforcement & Regulations
"No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy.
3. Education Policy
"Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025.
"Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation.
Signature Style
Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws.
X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read More
