Delhi minister apologises over vehicle entry restrictions

Delhi vehicle restrictions prompted an apology from Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa to NCR residents on Thursday, although he defended the measure as necessary to curb pollution. He addressed reporters at the Integrated Command and Control Centre in Shastri Park.

The curbs took effect on November 1 under the government's winter action plan and are scheduled to remain until January 31, 2027. They apply to vehicles registered outside Delhi that fall below BS-VI emissions standards, with CNG and electric vehicles exempt.

Sirsa said he had seen social media videos showing motorists being turned back at the city's borders. He acknowledged the inconvenience and asked NCR residents not to bring vehicles covered by the ban into Delhi.

Enforcement continues as air quality worsens

Authorities detected 10,019 vehicles entering in breach of the restrictions on Wednesday, according to the reported enforcement figures. That brought the total recorded since November 1 to 45,601.

The Delhi vehicle restrictions continued as the capital's air quality stayed in the very poor category for a fourth successive day on Thursday. Its air quality index stood at 368 at 7.05 am, while haze remained over the skyline.

Wednesday's 24-hour average was 377, compared with 350 on Tuesday and 324 on Monday. The previous Friday's reading had been 60, which falls within the satisfactory category.

Under the Central Pollution Control Board's scale, readings from 301 to 400 are very poor and those from 401 to 500 are severe. Eighteen of Delhi's 59 reporting stations recorded severe conditions, while 36 were very poor and five were poor.

At 7 am, PM2.5 was the main pollutant at 53 reporting stations and PM10 at the other six. Sirsa maintained that the inconvenience caused by the entry curbs had to be considered alongside their pollution-control purpose.

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