350K GB Nagar vehicles may face Delhi entry bar from Nov 1

Noida: Nearly 350,000 vehicles registered in Noida and Greater Noida are likely to be affected by Delhi’s planned restrictions on non-BS VI vehicles from November 1, with commuters fearing higher travel costs and disruptions to their daily journeys

Noida: Nearly 350,000 vehicles registered in Noida and Greater Noida are likely to be affected by Delhi’s planned restrictions on non-BS VI vehicles from November 1, with commuters fearing higher travel costs and disruptions to their daily journeys.

Vehicles conforming to BS I, II and III norms, introduced before 2010, and some BS IV vehicles purchased between April 2010 and 2011 also fall under the ELV category. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

Data from the Noida transport department shows that the two cities have nearly 970,000 petrol and 130,000 diesel vehicles. Of these, 111,867 are BS IV vehicles and 246,993 are end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), including 199,549 petrol vehicles older than 15 years and 47,444 diesel vehicles older than 10 years, which are required to be scrapped under Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) directives.

Vehicles conforming to BS I, II and III norms, introduced before 2010, and some BS IV vehicles purchased between April 2010 and 2011 also fall under the ELV category.

The district has 708,801 registered BS VI vehicles and 72,727 electric vehicles. Overall, more than 1.35 million vehicles of different categories are registered in Gautam Budh Nagar.

The department deregistered 601 ELVs — 488 diesel and 113 petrol vehicles — in August, while registration certificates of 751 vehicles were cancelled during the month.

Verma said driving a non-BS VI vehicle during the enforcement drive in Uttar Pradesh would attract a ₹5,000 fine, while driving without a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate would invite a ₹10,000 penalty. Enforcement would be intensified across Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad and along Delhi’s borders, he added.

NCR districts allow BS IV, BS VI vehicles

Police said vehicles meeting BS IV and BS VI norms would continue to be allowed in Noida, Greater Noida and other Uttar Pradesh districts in the National Capital Region, except those classified as ELVs.

“As of now, we have not received any communication from Delhi Police to restrict entry of non-BS VI vehicles into Delhi from Noida. We are following these guidelines, and the movement of BS IV vehicles, other than ELVs, is not being restricted,” said Syed Ali Abbas, deputy commissioner of police (Noida Traffic). He added that police were currently checking ELVs in the district and at its borders.

Commuters concerned

The proposed restrictions have worried NCR residents who travel to Delhi for work.

“I work in Delhi and own a 2018 BS IV Tata Tiago. The Delhi government’s new policy will cause huge problems for me and my colleagues,” said Brajesh Sharma, a resident of Sector 78, Noida. He urged the government to provide shuttle services from the border and allow BS IV vehicles carrying four people to enter Delhi to encourage carpooling.

Sharma plans to park his car near the Noida border and take a cab for the remaining journey, incurring additional costs.

Pankaj Gupta, a Greater Noida West resident who works in Delhi, said buying a new vehicle to comply with the rules was not financially feasible for everyone.

Residents alleged that the government had not adequately considered the difficulties faced by office-goers. The restrictions are scheduled to remain in force until January 31.

Enforcement challenges

Delhi-NCR introduced the “No PUC, No Petrol” policy on October 1 to curb pollution. However, its implementation in Gautam Budh Nagar remained ineffective amid the absence of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at petrol pumps, following legal opposition from the Uttar Pradesh Petrol Association.

An alternative “PUC Status” app also proved impractical, with attendants describing scanning every vehicle as “humanly impossible”. The subsequent provision of the app to petrol pump attendants has also appeared ineffective