Delhi borders face heavy traffic as anti-pollution rules begin
Commuters faced long queues at entry points as air quality in the capital reached its worst level of the season.
Heavy traffic congestion was reported at several Delhi border points 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 while enforcement teams checked vehicles entering the city.
The congestion occurred as the city's Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 261, marking the highest reading in 198 days. Of the 57 monitoring stations in the capital, 22 recorded very poor air quality and 21 recorded poor air quality, with Jahangirpuri recording the highest AQI at 378.
The new regulations, which run between November 1 and February 28, include a ban on outdoor construction that generates dust and a 50 per cent cap on physical attendance at private and government offices. Additionally, vehicles from outside Delhi that follow BS-IV or older emission norms face restrictions, and parking fees at authorised lots have doubled.
To enforce these rules, the Delhi transport department has deployed approximately 250 personnel. A total of 39 teams are stationed across 13 major toll plazas, including the Singhu border, Badarpur, and Rajokri on NH-48, to identify violators using automatic number plate recognition cameras.