Delhi bans BS3/BS4 diesel vehicles as air quality plummets

The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was 458 on Thursday morning.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has banned diesel vehicles from plying in Delhi-NCR as air pollution levels rose to the “severe plus” category.

The move is part of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which enables the government to take strict actions to curb pollution. Currently, the ban applies to BS3 and BS4-compliant diesel vehicles only.

However, emergency service vehicles or those running on CNG have been exempt from the ban. Entry of trucks, except those carrying essential goods or those running on CNG / electricity, has been banned.

The government has ordered industries in the region that are not running on clean fuel to stop their operations. Construction of public projects has also been halted.

The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) in Delhi was 458 on Thursday morning.