Panel pitches for 4-month BS-IV vehicle ban in NCR as pollution rises

Full phase-out by 2030; resale restrictions in nearby states proposed

BS-IV vehicles in the National Capital Region (NCR) could be barred from operating during the peak winter months — October 16 to February 15 — starting this year, before being fully phased out by 2030, an expert panel of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has told automakers. 

The 15-member panel, chaired by IIT Madras professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala, has conveyed this to two-wheeler and four-wheeler manufacturers during a meeting last Friday. 

The resale of these vehicles in nearby states in the Indo-Gangetic plain is also likely to be banned from 2030, as NCR’s pollution won’t drop if emissions keep flowing in from neighbouring states, a panel member told Business Standard. 

The panel also told automakers that even BS-VI vehicles -- currently the cleanest internal combustion engine (ICE) models on sale — may not be allowed to operate during the four-month winter window starting 2035, whenever the average Air Quality Index (AQI) exceeds 200. These measures are being examined to “disincentivise” ICE vehicles, pushing companies to shift to selling only zero-tailpipe emission vehicles, or electric vehicles (EVs), in Delhi after a defined period, it said. 

Executives present at the meeting told Business Standard that the scale and speed of the proposed measures caught many automobile companies aback, particularly those with limited or no EVs in their portfolio, as they may have to significantly rework investment plans and product pipelines to accelerate EV launches. 

The panel, set up in December 2025 to prepare a strategy to reduce vehicular emissions in Delhi-NCR, is finalising its recommendations. These will be submitted to CAQM, which will then take a final decision and issue any binding directions.

Bharat Stage (BS) norms are India’s vehicle emission standards notified by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to limit pollutants from automobiles. BS-IV came into force on April 1, 2017, while BS-VI, which India adopted directly by skipping BS-V, took effect on April 1, 2020, with sharply tighter emission limits. CAQM did not respond to the queries sent by Business Standard regarding the Friday meeting. 

The panel also told the automakers that it is evaluating timelines for full exit of vehicles that fall even under the BS-VI category. It is considering recommending that all BS-VI two-wheelers exit Delhi-NCR by 2035. This will shorten their usable life compared to the current 15-year age limit for petrol vehicles that is allowed under existing rules. The panel is also considering a complete ban on BS-VI four-wheelers from 2040. 

The panel is also examining whether these complete ban measures should be extended to other states in the broader Indo-Gangetic plain, which includes Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chandigarh, and parts of Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. It believes curbs confined to the NCR may have limited impact if neighbouring states continue adding high-emission vehicles within the same air-shed. 

Moreover, companies could be assigned specific EV sales thresholds for each financial year. These targets would progressively rise, eventually leading to a stage where dealerships in the region sell only EVs after a defined transition period, the panel told automakers during the meeting. 

During the meeting, committee members told automakers that the shift would be phased and calibrated rather than abrupt, allowing the industry time to adjust production plans and dealership strategies. However, the broader direction — towards a full electrification of new vehicle sales in the region -- was made clear, participants said. 

Industry executives flagged concerns around charging infrastructure readiness, grid capacity, battery supply chains and consumer affordability, and stressed the need for alignment with central government policies to avoid regulatory fragmentation.

EV adoption in India has gathered pace, but growth remains gradual relative to the overall market. Of the 20.29 million two-wheelers sold in 2025, electric two-wheelers accounted for 6.30 per cent, up from 6.07 per cent in 2024. 

Electric car sales climbed to a record high of over 176,000 units in 2025, registering a 77 per cent year-on-year increase. Even so, electric cars made up only about 4 per cent of total car sales during the year.