Delhi to block fuel for non-PUCC vehicles and double parking fees from November
The Delhi government has notified a new winter pollution control framework that will block fuel sales to vehicles without valid pollution certificates and double parking fees across Delhi starting November 1. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced the Proactive Winter Air Quality Management Framework on Friday, aiming to give residents, businesses, and agencies advance time to prepare for the seasonal drop in air quality.
Under the new framework, petrol pumps in Delhi will be prohibited from dispensing fuel to any vehicle that does not possess a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) starting November 1.
Additionally, parking charges at all authorised parking facilities in the city will be doubled from November 1 to February 28 to discourage the use of private vehicles.
The framework also targets vehicular emissions by restricting the entry of non-BS-VI commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi from November 1 to January 31. Exemptions will apply to electric and CNG vehicles, emergency services, and vehicles on government duty.
To further reduce congestion and emissions, the government may implement staggered office timings and limit physical attendance in both public and private offices to 50 percent if air quality deteriorates.
The plan also mandates strict compliance with dust-control norms at construction and demolition sites from November 1 to January 31.
Chief Minister Gupta explained that the framework, notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, is designed to complement the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
According to Gupta, the early announcement in June is a shift from previous years, when residents and businesses were only notified of restrictions after air quality had already reached Very Poor or Severe levels.
This often left citizens, industries, institutions and commercial establishments with insufficient time to prepare, leading to inconvenience, Gupta said, adding that the advance notice will help stakeholders prepare well before the winter pollution sets in.
