BS3, BS4 car ban returns to Delhi NCR amid rising pollution: Check if your vehicle is allowed

Following the shift of Delhi NCR’s Air Quality Index (AQI) to the severe (401-450) category, Kailash Gahlot, Minister of Transport of Delhi announced the return of the GRAP III restrictions that restricts BS3 petrol and BS4 diesel cars to ply on the roads of Delhi NCR. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in Delhi NCR and adjoining areas had previously issued a statutory direction last month for implementation of the revised schedule of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as and when orders under GRAP were to be invoked.

The GRAP III restrictions come into effect from December 22, 2023 until further notice. Vehicles deployed in Emergency services, police vehicles & govt. vehicles used for enforcement are restricted from this ban. Furthermore, vehicles that are apprehended plying on the road, will have to pay a fine of Rs 20,000 under section 194 (1) of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.
The CAQM sub-committee constituted for invoking actions under the GRAP in its meeting comprehensively reviewed the air quality scenario in the Delhi NCR region as well as the forecasts for meteorological conditions and air quality index made available by IMD/llTM. It was observed that the AQI of Delhi since 10:00AM of 22.12.2023 has witnessed a sharp increase and at 2:00 PM the average AQI for Delhi on date was recorded as 402. Further, the average AQI for Delhi for 22.12.2023 at 4:00 PM stood at 409 which is only expected to increase further owing to the highly unfavorable meteorological and climatic conditions..
Do you think CAQM’s decision to impose GRAP Stage III in Delhi NCR is the right thing to do considering the worsening air quality? Let us know in the comments down below.