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Air Emergency In Delhi: City Locks Borders As Pollution Hits ‘Severe’ Levels
As Toxic Smog Chokes Delhi, City Seals Its Borders; Thousands Fined Under Emergency GRAP-IV Crackdown
With air quality slipping into the danger zone, Delhi rolls out round-the-clock border checks, issues thousands of fines and turns back polluting vehicles to enforce emergency pollution norms.
New Delhi: The city woke up to tightened borders and heightened enforcement as the capital pushed deeper into emergency pollution measures under GRAP Stage IV. With toxic smog hanging over large parts of the city, Delhi Traffic Police have rolled out round-the-clock checks at every major and minor entry point, issuing thousands of fines to vehicles flouting pollution norms.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Dinesh Kumar Gupta said large-scale arrangements have been in place ever since GRAP-IV came into force. Speaking to ANI, he confirmed that enforcement teams stationed at Delhi's borders have already issued 2,686 challans for Pollution Under Control Certificate violations and 422 challans to vehicles falling below BS-VI standards.
“Ever since the GRAP-4 rules have been implemented, we have deployed our staff at all Delhi borders. We have made large-scale traffic arrangements to ensure compliance with GRAP-4 rules. In the last 24 hours, we have issued approximately 2,686 PUCC challans and approximately 422 for vehicles below BS6,” he said.
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He explained that vehicles not registered in Delhi are not being allowed to enter if they fail to meet the prescribed standards. “We inspect approximately 5,000 vehicles; non-compliant cars are returned, and those not meeting GRAP-4 rules are sent back. In many borders, including major and minor ones, staff are deployed round the clock,” he added.
Under GRAP-IV, older commercial vehicles, including BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles, are barred from entering or operating in Delhi-NCR. Only BS-VI compliant vehicles or those running on cleaner fuels such as CNG, LNG or electricity are permitted.
Gupta said manpower deployment has been calibrated based on traffic pressure. “At major borders, staff are deployed in larger numbers due to heavy traffic; minor borders have fewer staff, but there is round-the-clock deployment. We have at least 500 personnel from the Delhi Traffic Police working alongside our teams. We have ensured a complete arrangement,” he said.
Coordination meetings have also been held with neighbouring states to minimise congestion and prevent violations before vehicles reach Delhi's borders. “We have briefed them on raising public awareness to prevent entry into the border area. We have signboards at the borders, and we are informing people through social media. The government is also running advertisements to educate the public on GRAP-4 rules and prohibited vehicles. We are trying to minimise public discomfort,” Gupta added.
The Commission for Air Quality Management has invoked all actions under GRAP Stage IV across Delhi-NCR as pollution levels continue to remain alarming. On Saturday (December 20) night, several parts of the capital were engulfed in a thick layer of smog. Data from the Central Pollution Control Board showed the Air Quality Index at 397 near AIIMS, categorised as “very poor”, while Akshardham recorded an AQI of 423, falling in the “severe” category.
The Delhi government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, has intensified on-ground enforcement across departments. According to an official press release, authorities have carried out 3,052 inspections across industrial areas, redevelopment zones and non-conforming regions.
During these checks, 251 industries in industrial zones, 181 in redevelopment areas and 180 in non-conforming areas were found violating norms. Closure and sealing action is now underway against 612 units, with proceedings initiated against others.
The Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa issued a stern warning to violators. “Despite GRAP-IV restrictions, certain construction sites and industrial units continue to disregard pollution control norms. We have made this absolutely clear that any construction activity anywhere in Delhi during GRAP-IV will invite sealing and legal action,” he said.
“Our enforcement teams are on the ground, and accountability will be fixed on local officers where violations are found,” he added.
Vehicular emissions have emerged as another focus area. Over the past three days, more than 1 lakh PUCC certificates have been issued as enforcement drives intensified across the city. Joint checks by the Delhi Traffic Police, the Transport Department (Enforcement) and ANPR-based teams led to a rise in challans for GRAP violations and missing pollution certificates.
In just three days, over 12,000 challans were issued, while more than 16,000 vehicles were checked for compliance. Officials confirmed that 16,896 vehicles were inspected across the national capital, with 1,492 non-compliant vehicles turned back as part of the intensified GRAP-IV drive.
Reiterating the zero-tolerance approach, the minister said, “If any illegal or unauthorised construction is found underway in Delhi during GRAP-IV, immediate sealing will follow. The same will apply to industries operating without valid emission control measures. Authorisation does not mean exemption; every unit must operate strictly within pollution norms or face closure.”
To tighten accountability, area engineers and district officers have been directed to maintain real-time oversight and will be held personally responsible for violations detected in their jurisdictions. Dedicated teams have also been tasked with verifying compliance among industrial units identified in recent surveys.
The expanded enforcement covers four major pollution fronts – vehicular emissions, industrial pollution, construction dust and waste burning – ensuring no contributor to Delhi's deteriorating air quality escapes scrutiny.
“Delhiites deserve clean air, and we must work together to achieve that. We will protect the city's environment at any cost. Those defying GRAP-IV norms are directly harming public health, and we won't allow that to happen,” Sirsa said.
The Delhi government has once again urged citizens, industries, institutions and construction agencies to follow pollution control measures strictly and support collective efforts to restore breathable air in the city.
Source: ZeeNews
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