New Delhi: Starting Saturday, the city’s borders became no-entry points for all non-Delhi registered commercial goods vehicles compliant with BS-III or older standards.The move follows a directive by Commission for Air Quality Management to curb vehicular pollution during winter. Around 23 locations, including Kundli, Rajokri, Tikri, Ayanagar, Kalindi Kunj, Auchandi, Mandoli, Kapashera and Bajghera toll/Dwarka Expressway, have been placed under active surveillance by deploying teams comprising transport and traffic police personnel. Under the directive, such commercial goods vehicles are barred from entering the city unless they operate on cleaner fuels. Officials at the sites were seen verifying compliance through multiple checks — examining the vehicle’s registration certificate for emission norms, cross-checking details on the Vahan portal, reviewing manufacturing dates and Form 21, and confirming information through RFID tags and accompanying vehicle documents before allowing entry. According to the traffic police, 256 vehicles were denied entry on Day 1.At Tikri border, one of the busiest entry points for commercial vehicles, the system appeared to function smoothly. Four transport and three traffic police personnel were seen recording vehicle numbers, verifying them on the system and allowing only eligible vehicles to pass. “We are halting heavy commercial vehicles, checking their model details and verifying them against emission standards as well as the documents they carry,” said an official.Similar vigilance was observed at Jharoda Kalan, another busy Delhi-Haryana border toll point for trucks. An operator said that till the afternoon, no vehicle was turned back. Officials stationed a few metres ahead were allowing CNG vehicles and those meeting BS-IV norms to pass without delay. “Using RFID tags, we can access the model details of vehicles and take action accordingly,” an official explained. In contrast, monitoring appeared lax at some checkpoints. At the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway toll plaza, operators seemed unaware of the directive. They claimed they had received no formal communication regarding the checks. During TOI’s visit, no enforcement team was present at the site. Delhi Traffic Police said its personnel had been deployed at 13 border points. CAQM’s directive marks one of the city’s most stringent measures to control vehicular pollution. This is an annual winter drive, introduced in 2023 under Graded Response Action Plan to fight the peak pollution season.
