Delhi borders face heavy traffic as anti-pollution rules begin
Commuters faced long queues at entry points on Sunday as air quality reached its highest level in 198 days.
Heavy traffic congestion was reported at several Delhi border crossings on Sunday as new winter anti-pollution measures came into effect. According to the Hindustan Times, significant queues formed at the Delhi-Noida and Delhi-Gurugram borders, as well as near MCD toll booths, while enforcement teams checked vehicles for compliance.
The air quality index in the national capital stood at 261 on Sunday, marking the worst reading of the season and the highest in 198 days. Of the 57 monitoring stations in the city, 22 recorded very poor air quality and 21 recorded poor air quality. Jahangirpuri recorded the highest AQI at 378, with PM2.5 identified as the main pollutant.
The new restrictions, which run between November 1 and February 28, include a ban on outdoor construction that generates dust and a limit on physical attendance at government and private offices to 50 per cent. Additionally, vehicles from outside Delhi that meet BS-IV or older emission standards face restrictions, and parking charges at authorised lots have doubled.
The Delhi transport department has deployed approximately 250 enforcement personnel and 39 teams across 13 major toll plazas, including Rajokri and Ghazipur. Officials have been instructed to impound non-compliant vehicles and issue e-challans. Some commuters expressed frustration on social media regarding the long delays caused by the checks at the borders.