Delhi's winter action plan, launched on 1 October 2026, tackles the perennial haze that blankets the NCR each December. It is a joint effort between the Delhi administration and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, with the Commission for Air Quality Management and the Central Pollution Control Board as key partners.
The plan kicks off with a ‘No PUCC, No Fuel’ drive that will see every diesel and petrol pump in the city use ANPR cameras to deny fuel to vehicles lacking a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate or that have outlived their prescribed lifespan. From 1 November, all non‑BS‑VI cars and two‑wheelers that are not registered in Delhi will be barred from entering the city gates, while CNG and electric vehicles enjoy a green pass. To sweeten the pot, the ‘Parivartan Scheme’ will be bolstered, offering incentives for scrapping old vehicles and buying electric ones.
Dust‑control gets a hard look. Starting 1 November, demolition and outdoor construction that stirs up dust will be prohibited until 31 January, with a complete shutdown of all construction and demolition from 10 December to 20 January. The rule is backed by a 100 per cent CCTV net that will monitor 98 mechanised sweeping machines working two shifts across the city.
Meanwhile, the metro is being pushed to the front. Delhi runs 6,840 buses, 5,088 of which are electric, and is eyeing a daily ridership of 7.2 million on the metro and 4.2 million on the Delhi Transport Corporation. A ten‑day campaign to promote the Delhi Metro Sarathi App will run from 1 to 10 October, aiming to make last‑mile connectivity a habit.
Roads are getting a makeover too. Roughly 3,000 kilometres of roads are slated for dust‑free upgrades, with 1,193 kilometres already finished. The plan also sets up an AI‑enabled Command and Control Centre that will be live from 1 October, backed by 334 enforcement teams that will patrol traffic and pollution hotspots on two shifts.
The real test, however, is how quickly these measures will bite. A construction worker in South Delhi says he has seen the cameras in action, but he fears the fines will hit his small business hard. The Delhi government promises swift penalties for violations, and 2,283 polluting units have already been sealed last month, hinting that the crackdown is already in motion.