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Supreme Court bans old vehicles in Delhi-NCR again: Diesel over 10 years, petrol over 15 barred from roads. With AQI soaring, will this crackdown finally curb pollution or will Delhi continue to choke under toxic air?
SC allows ban on end-of-life vehicles
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday reinstated the ban on old vehicles in Delhi-NCR that fail to meet Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) emission standards. Vehicles running on emission norms below BS-IV, including BS-III and older models, will now face regulatory action, ending temporary relief granted in August.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant modified the August 12 order, which had paused coercive action against end-of-life vehicles under BS-3 and below.
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The revision follows a recommendation from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), which reported that the earlier order had allowed more polluting vehicles back on the roads, worsening air quality in the national capital.
Under the new Supreme Court order, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles over 15 years that do not comply with BS-IV standards are barred from operating on Delhi roads. The protection provided earlier now applies only to vehicles that meet BS-IV standards or higher.
The directive encompasses all types of vehicles, including two-wheelers, three-wheelers, light vehicles, and heavy vehicles, whether commercial or personal. The Delhi government has previously stipulated that non-compliant vehicles found on roads will be impounded and sent to scrapyards for dismantling.
Bharat Stage (BS) emission norms are designed to control the emission of pollutants from vehicles. The standards have progressively tightened since their introduction in 2000. BS-I vehicles were the first regulated under this system, followed by BS-II in 2001, BS-III in 2005, BS-IV in 2010, and BS-VI in 2020.
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BS-III vehicles allowed sulphur content up to 100 parts per million (ppm), whereas BS-IV reduced it to 50 ppm. BS-VI norms, currently in effect, further cut sulphur levels to just 10 ppm, significantly reducing emissions of harmful gases like nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons.
The Supreme Court’s latest order forms part of broader efforts to combat Delhi’s persistent air pollution. With AQI frequently reaching “severe” levels, authorities are implementing stricter vehicular norms alongside measures such as mandatory PUC certificates, hybrid work models for offices, and restrictions on construction-related vehicles.
By enforcing these regulations, the government aims to reduce toxic emissions from older vehicles and promote cleaner air in Delhi, safeguarding public health in the densely populated capital region.
