No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18

Several categories of vehicles are already not allowed on Delhi’s roads when restrictions under GRAP III and GRAP IV are in force, including BS‑III petrol and BS‑IV diesel vehicles.

Even Delhi‑registered diesel-run Medium Goods Vehicles (MGVs) of BS‑IV or below are not allowed, unless they are carrying essential commodities.

Diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years remain banned in Delhi‑NCR following the 2015 order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. However, earlier this year, the top court granted interim relief to the owners of these ‘end-of-life’ vehicles by halting coercive action against them.

Following the Delhi government’s directive on Tuesday, all petrol, diesel and CNG pump dealers have been asked to dispense or sell fuel only after the driver produces a valid PUCC for the vehicle. This step is being taken to control vehicular tailpipe emissions, the government said in an official statement.

Sirsa said that Automatic Number Plate Recognition and on‑ground checks will be used to verify the PUCC status and emissions (BS) category of vehicles. He urged citizens not to argue with enforcement officials at fuel stations and borders if their vehicles were found to be non‑compliant.

Sirsa also elaborated on steps taken by the government to curb pollution across sectors. He said that legacy waste biomining at Delhi’s three landfill sites had been scaled up from 20,000 MT per day to 35,000 MT per day. About 45 acres of land had been reclaimed and was being converted into plantation and dense urban forests.

“We have issued more than 2,000 notices and imposed penalties worth Rs 9 crore, 21 lakh on [polluting] industries. This amount has been collected through the Delhi Pollution Control Committee,” the Minister said.

Online Emissions Monitoring Systems have been installed in 280 industrial units across sectors, he said. An extensive survey was underway to identify industries that do not fall under any regulatory category, and 824 such industries had already been identified and enforcement action initiated, he said.

To beef up the public transport system and make it cleaner, 3,427 electric buses have been inducted so far, Sirsa said. A target of inducting 7500 e-buses has been set for December 2026, he said.

Sirsa said strict action had been taken against diesel generators, and the installation of catalytic converters had been mandated. Penalties had been imposed on 32 generators so far, he said. A total 318 banquet halls had been instructed to rectify their diesel generator (DG) sets, and non-compliance would lead to their sealing, he said.

The government had distributed 10,000 electric heaters to night security guards to ensure they did not resort to burning wood or biomass for warmth.

The Minister described pollution as a “disease” affecting the health of Delhi’s children, for which he blamed the opposition parties.

“Pollution is a disease that is affecting the health of Delhi’s children, and it’s a legacy of the AAP government. We are working to cure this disease, but it’s a challenging task,” he said.

He accused Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi of allegedly staying silent during earlier pollution crises.