With NCR’s Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing the 300 mark this month, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the Automotive Research Association of India (Arai) are acting on both fronts, according to two people aware of the matter.
The aim of the proposal is to reduce emissions from heavy machinery used in infrastructure projects – a significant but often overlooked contributor to winter smog – and to encourage wider adoption of electric cars by facilitating access to charging stations in residential communities.
It has recently started negotiations with various stakeholders and expert groups. They have identified key sectors contributing to the deterioration of air quality in Delhi-NCR, including transport, waste management and construction, one of the people said, requesting anonymity.
“Obviously transportation is one of those sectors. The goal is to find mandates for all the sectors that are identified,” the person said, adding that the use of electric construction equipment is under study.
The study will also assess market readiness – whether sufficient electrical equipment is available. The aim is to find long-term solutions to the deteriorating air quality in Delhi-NCR, the second added.
Email inquiries to ARAI and CAQM remained unanswered as of press time.
The transfer of cleaner fuel is underway
According to the Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (ICEMA), the construction sector is already exploring cleaner fuels for typically heavy equipment such as cranes, excavators and bulldozers.
Mint had earlier reported that the government is targeting flex fuels for construction machinery, which account for about 3-4% of India’s annual diesel usage of 91 million tonnes.
RWA resistance to chargers
Another key recommendation is to prevent Residents’ Welfare Associations (RWAs) from blocking the installation of EV chargers on their premises. “This has long hindered EV adoption,” said one of the people cited above. Most consumers prefer night charging due to range concerns, but many housing complexes still refuse No Objection Certificates (NOCs), despite clear political support.
Range anxiety—the fear that an electric car might not have enough charge to complete a trip—remains one of the biggest barriers to wider adoption.
In its August 2025 report, NITI Aayog said resistance to RWAs remains a major deterrent to EV adoption. The report said consultations with EV manufacturers, charger manufacturers and operators found that RWAs routinely refuse permits for private and community charging stations.
Delhi annual smog cycle
Delhi’s air quality declines every October to December, often reaching “severe” levels – above 400 AQI, according to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data. As of 2022, the city breathed “poor”, “very poor” or “heavy” air more than 40% of the year.
An AQI of zero to 50 is considered “good”, 51-100 “satisfactory”, 101-200 “moderate”, 201-300 “poor”, 301-400 “very poor”, and 401-500 “severe”.
Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari recently told an auto industry meeting that reducing vehicular emissions in Delhi-NCR is a top priority, noting that transport contributes around 40% to India’s total pollution.
Reducing vehicular emissions in Delhi is a challenge due to the sheer number of vehicles on the roads. In 2024-25, the Delhi Transport Department registered about 450,000 two-wheelers, just over 190,000 cars, 2,300 buses and about 17,200 trucks, according to Vahan, the central government’s vehicle registry.
Experts say vehicular emissions and construction dust are the biggest sources of pollution in Delhi.
“Suspended particulate matter, meaning dust particles, is a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi. In addition to vehicular emissions, the construction sector also contributes to the problem. Demolition of old buildings and dumping of debris in landfills release particles of various sizes into the air. In a dry climate like Delhi, fine particles stay in the air for longer,” said Gurudas Nulkar, professor and director of the Sustain Development Center. Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics.
Push and pull politics
The discussions come as federal policy think tank NITI Aayog in August asked the central government to push for stricter mandates to promote cleaner mobility.
In an August report titled Unlocking the $200 Billion Opportunity: Electric Vehicles in India, the think tank said India’s adoption of electric vehicles is lower than other countries and needs policy mandates instead of mere incentives.
Until now, the central effort has focused on subsidies and incentives – such as ₹10,900 crore PM E-Drive a ₹25,938 crore PLI scheme for autos and parts — but not on tough regulations.
Meanwhile, Delhi’s traffic policy has seen two major changes in recent months. A ban on the use of end-of-life fuel in Delhi in July this year was lifted within days of its introduction following consumer protests.
Also, the Delhi government’s policy proposal earlier this year created an uproar among car manufacturers when the government proposed equal incentives for hybrid and electric vehicles. The proposal has split the auto lobby into two groups, with hybrid manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki India Ltd on one side and electric vehicle makers like Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd and Tata Motors Ltd on the other.
Electric vehicle manufacturers have argued that because hybrid vehicles are a bridge technology that does not produce zero-emission vehicles – while electric powertrains emit no pollutants at all – there should not be equality of incentives for the two types of vehicles.
The proposal has since been withdrawn and the policy is expected to be revised by the end of FY26.
