New Delhi: From Nov 1, govt will strictly enforce an entry block on all commercial goods vehicles registered outside Delhi that are not BS-VI compliant. This decision aligns with a directive of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). Officials said teams would be stationed at toll plazas to ensure the implementation. BS-VI compliant vehicles meet stricter emission standards, thereby checking pollution. A notice issued by the transport department said that BS-IV commercial goods vehicles would be permitted entry into Delhi up to Oct 31, 2026, as a transition measure. There will also be no restrictions on commercial goods vehicles registered in Delhi that are BS-IV compliant and running on diesel up to Oct 31, 2026, or those running on CNG, LNG, or electricity. The notice added that the restrictions under various stages of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) on commercial goods vehicles will continue to hold during the period a particular GRAP stage is in force. In a meeting held on Oct 17, CAQM approved the sweeping ban on the entry of polluting commercial vehicles. Senior officials mentioned that all the officers have been sensitised about the orders of CAQM as well as NGT on pollution control, including the prevention of incidents of burning garbage and leaves in the open. Additionally, teams have been instructed to monitor construction activities closely. Officials have also been directed to cooperate with traffic police and take action on polluting vehicles under the Motor Vehicle Act. Govt will also seek the help of municipal corporations in ensuring that large construction sites follow pollution control norms. Officials have also been instructed to ensure that CCTV cameras are functioning at border checkpoints. They said that govt will also discourage the entry of non-destined trucks into Delhi and seek curbs on waste dumping at landfills during the GRAP period. Non-destined vehicles are those which are crossing Delhi to go elsewhere. Between Jan 2023 and Jan 2024, out of 30,472 non-destined goods vehicles that were checked at border areas, over 50% were returned as they did not follow anti-pollution norms. To promote green energy and reduce dependence on thermal power plants, a renewable energy line coming from Rajasthan will meet Delhi’s demand. In the long run, pollution will be reduced as it is green power. “This will not just serve the growing needs of the increasing population but also help fight pollution,” an official said. Officials mentioned that govt was also building a joint task force and developing a common platform, which would have a mechanism for fast information transfer so that data regarding these issues could be quickly exchanged.