Delhi turns back 16,827 polluting vehicles in nine days under GRAP-3 crackdown

Delhi authorities have turned back 16,827 vehicles at the capital's borders in the first nine days of November for failing to meet Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) emission standards, as enforcement of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) intensifies. Enforcement teams checked 73,877 vehicles between November 1 and 9; 696 were fined and 52 impounded, with penalties totalling more than 13.9 million rupees.

More than 1,000 turned back on November 9 alone

On November 9 alone, teams checked 7,551 vehicles, turned back 1,099 and fined 32, collecting 640,000 rupees in fines. Another 987 vehicles were fined the same day for not carrying a valid pollution-under-control (PUC) certificate, drawing 9.87 million rupees in fines. Joint teams from the traffic police, transport department, municipal corporation and other agencies are enforcing the drive, focused on 26 major border points Delhi shares with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Entry ban runs until January 31 under GRAP Stage III

Under Stage III of GRAP, non-Delhi-registered vehicles that do not meet BS-VI standards have been barred from the capital since November 1, with the restriction in force until January 31. Only BS-VI, compressed natural gas and fully electric vehicles may enter, and all must carry a valid PUC certificate. Stage III is triggered when the air quality index crosses 401, the “severe” threshold. The Central Pollution Control Board recorded Delhi's overall air quality index at 307 at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, in the “very poor” category, an improvement from the post-Diwali peak.

Sources: Delhi Traffic Police data, reported by The Times of India and Jagran, November 10, 2026.