Delhi borders see heavy traffic as anti-pollution rules begin
Commuters faced long queues at city entry points on Sunday as air quality reached its worst level of the season.
Delhi witnessed heavy traffic congestion at several border crossings on Sunday, November 1, as new winter anti-pollution restrictions came into effect. According to the Hindustan Times, significant snarls occurred at the Delhi-Gurugram and Delhi-Noida borders while enforcement personnel checked vehicles entering the capital.
The congestion coincided with the city's air quality index (AQI) dropping to 261, the highest reading in 198 days. Of the 57 monitoring stations in the city, 22 recorded very poor air quality and 21 recorded poor air quality, with Jahangirpuri reaching an AQI of 378.
The new measures, which run between November 1 and February 28, aim to lower emissions and dust. These rules involve banning outdoor construction that generates dust, doubling parking fees, and limiting physical office attendance to 50 per cent.
The restrictions also target vehicles from outside Delhi that follow BS-IV or older emission norms. To enforce these rules, the Delhi transport department has deployed approximately 250 personnel across 13 major toll plazas, including DND, Rajokri, and Ghazipur.
Commuters expressed frustration on social media regarding the long queues. One person reported being stuck at a border for three hours, while another social media user suggested the measures might not improve air quality.