Delhi Police Enforce Strict BS-VI Ban at Borders Amid Smog Crisis, Commuters Face Chaos

• Delhi Police initiated stringent checks at borders, enforcing a ban on non-BS VI vehicles and those without valid PUCCs under GRAP Stage IV due to severe smog.
• Violators face a Rs 20,000 fine or are forced to make a U-turn; checks target non-Delhi registered vehicles, 10-year-old diesel, and 15-year-old petrol vehicles (BS-III or lower).
• The ban has caused significant commuter chaos, sidelining over 11.5 lakh vehicles from NCR (Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad) and impacting daily lives.
• The Aam Aadmi Party's Saurabh Bharadwaj criticized the central government, alleging "headline management" and lack of real enforcement.
• Experts highlight vehicular emissions as a major pollution source and stress the need for long-term solutions like improved public transport and vehicle scrappage policies.

Why It Matters: Delhi's strict vehicle ban aims to curb severe pollution, causing commuter disruption and sparking political debate.