Rekha Gupta govt doubles parking charges for 4 months, outlines more measures to tackle winter air pollution in Delhi | Today’s news
The Delhi government on Friday unveiled its ‘Proactive Winter Air Quality Management Framework’, which introduces a series of measures aimed at reducing pollution during the winter months.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced that parking charges at authorized parking lots across Delhi will be doubled from November 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027, as part of efforts to curb pollution during the winter season and reduce reliance on private vehicles, according to PTI.
What are the other measures?
The framework also includes measures such as staggered office hours, a ban on open burning of waste and biomass, and preliminary preparations for dust control and regulation of construction-related activities.
According to Gupta, these restrictions and measures are announced well in advance of winter to give residents and stakeholders enough time to prepare and avoid disruptions once the season begins.
As part of the plan, commercial vehicles registered outside Delhi that do not meet BS-VI emission norms will be banned from entering the city from November to January.
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Gupta said the framework also mandates that only vehicles with a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) will be allowed to purchase fuel at petrol stations across the capital.
The authorities have not yet specified how long the fuel sales restrictions will remain in effect.
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Under the new rules, non-BS VI commercial vehicles outside Delhi will be banned from entering the city from November 1, 2026 to January 31, 2027. However, the restrictions will not apply to CNG vehicles, electric vehicles, emergency vehicles or vehicles used for official government purposes, Gupta said.
The EV 2.0 policy is likely to be approved by the Delhi Cabinet in the upcoming meeting
Meanwhile, Delhi’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy 2.0 is expected to be submitted to the Gupta-led cabinet for approval next week, according to government officials.
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The draft policy was released for public consultation in April to gather feedback from stakeholders. However, the question of whether hybrid vehicles should get incentives under the new framework remains unresolved and is still under consideration, a senior government official said.
“The government wants to include hybrid vehicles in the subsidy scheme as part of the policy, but there is resistance from some quarters. However, it has been noted that subsidizing hybrid vehicles has helped in faster adoption of electric vehicles,” the official mentioned.
The draft policy proposes a 50% road tax exemption for hybrid vehicles priced up to ₹30 lakhs.
Hybrid vehicles combine a traditional internal combustion engine with one or more electric motors powered by batteries. These batteries are automatically recharged through the engine and regenerative braking technology, which recovers the energy produced during braking.
The current electric car policy in Delhi has been extended till June 30. Referring to the need for a new framework, the official said, “This policy is likely to be expanded further, hence the need to approve a new EV 2.0 policy.”
In early March, the Delhi government outlined the key features of EV Policy 2.0, which aims to ensure that 95 percent of all new vehicle registrations in the capital are electric by 2027.
According to the transport ministry, the proposed policy lays down a comprehensive strategy to accelerate Delhi’s transition to electric mobility and strengthen its position as a pioneer in electric car adoption in India.
The draft policy envisages the gradual replacement of all CNG autorickshaws, taxis and light commercial vehicles with electric alternatives. It also includes a government commitment to convert the entire public bus fleet to electric vehicles as part of efforts to build a cleaner and more sustainable transport network.
(With agency input)
