Delhi-NCR states told not to allow cab aggregators, delivery service providers to use diesel, petrol vehicles from 2026
Underlining the need for 'faster transition to efficient and cleaner mobility', the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in Delhi and NCR issued directions on Wednesday not to allow cab aggregators and delivery service providers to use any more diesel or petrol-run vehicles from January 2026. It has also directed the NCR state governments to induct only CNG or electric three-wheeler autorickshaws in the existing vehicle fleet with 'immediate effect'.
The commission said that its focus is on reducing vehicular pollution and facilitating faster transition to cleaner modes of mobility in Delhi–NCR, particularly in the sectors of motor vehicle aggregators, delivery service providers, and e-commerce entities.
'The existing fleet of vehicles onboarded by these service providers can be continued for such services,' the directive read.
States, including Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan, need to formulate comprehensive policies prioritizing the high-vehicle density (HVD) cities of Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad, which, besides intra-city requirements, also rely heavily on inter-city movement of vehicles, it said.
With regard to Delhi, the commission noted that there is already an existing framework in place with the 2023 Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator and Delivery Service Provider Scheme.
Under this scheme, licensing and regulation of aggregators providing passenger transport services, delivery services of goods and commodities, including through e-commerce entities, are regulated.
In its direction, it also noted that zero-emission vehicles such as Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and other clean technologies need to be targeted for clean mobility.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Govt to launch 80 more pink buses for women
Patna: Transport department is set to launch 80 more CNG-powered pink buses in different districts of the state. At present 20 such buses are operational in five districts—Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Purnia and Darbhanga. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The department has already begun necessary exercise to launch more buses," an official said on Friday. The eight pink buses currently in operation in Patna have 16 women conductors, while Muzaffarpur has four, and Bhagalpur, Gaya, Purnia and Darbhanga two each. Sharing her experience, Sanju Kumari, a conductor in Patna said, "I meet a lot of women everyday and we interact and work together, it creates a sense of belonging." "These buses have become a reliable and safe commuting option for women passengers, especially working women and students," Jyoti, a first-year student, who travels from Saguna More to the Patna Women's College by pink buses, said. These buses, fitted with cameras and GPS, have provided women with a safe way of commuting. Khushi, a student who commutes daily from Bhootnath Road to the Patna Women's College expressed her satisfaction of travelling by the bus. "Compared to auto or e-rikshaw, these buses are safe, comfortable and easily accessible making the journey hassle free," he said. The commuters also praised the low ticket price. Juhi, a secretariat employee, said now she travels without much burden on her pocket. To avail a monthly pass women have to submit their Aadhaar card, college or school ID or cellphone number at BSRTC offices in Bankipur or Phulwari. Patna: Transport department is set to launch 80 more CNG-powered pink buses in different districts of the state. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now At present 20 such buses are operational in five districts—Patna, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, Purnia and Darbhanga. "The department has already begun necessary exercise to launch more buses," an official said on Friday. The eight pink buses currently in operation in Patna have 16 women conductors, while Muzaffarpur has four, and Bhagalpur, Gaya, Purnia and Darbhanga two each. Sharing her experience, Sanju Kumari, a conductor in Patna said, "I meet a lot of women everyday and we interact and work together, it creates a sense of belonging." "These buses have become a reliable and safe commuting option for women passengers, especially working women and students," Jyoti, a first-year student, who travels from Saguna More to the Patna Women's College by pink buses, said. These buses, fitted with cameras and GPS, have provided women with a safe way of commuting. Khushi, a student who commutes daily from Bhootnath Road to the Patna Women's College expressed her satisfaction of travelling by the bus. "Compared to auto or e-rikshaw, these buses are safe, comfortable and easily accessible making the journey hassle free," he said. The commuters also praised the low ticket price. Juhi, a secretariat employee, said now she travels without much burden on her pocket. To avail a monthly pass women have to submit their Aadhaar card, college or school ID or cellphone number at BSRTC offices in Bankipur or Phulwari.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
‘Clean fuel norms will transform NCR by 2026': CAQM chief Rajesh Verma
The National Capital Region (NCR) is undergoing a critical transformation in the way it moves — not just in terms of technology, but in vision, said Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) chairperson Rajesh Verma on Thursday, making a strong case for clean mobility on World Environment Day. Speaking at Urban Adda 2025, a three-day event hosted by the Raahgiri Foundation, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), and GuruJal, Verma delivered the keynote address on the final day, underscoring that vehicular emissions remain at the heart of NCR's air pollution crisis. HT is a media partner for the event. 'Among the many contributors to air pollution, vehicular emissions remain one of the most pressing issues,' Verma said, highlighting how the explosive growth in vehicle numbers has vastly outpaced infrastructure. 'Between 1981 and 2021, the number of vehicles in Delhi grew 21-fold, while the road length only doubled.' Verma said, stating vehicles were growing at a much rapid pace, thus making the transition to cleaner fuels a slow but gradual exercise. Delhi today has 15.2 million registered vehicles growing at 6% annually, while the rest of NCR accounts for another 11.4 million vehicles, growing at an even faster 8%. Although the Capital occupies just 2.7% of NCR's land area, it houses 57% of its vehicles — placing extraordinary strain on infrastructure and contributing significantly to the region's toxic air, Verma said. Since its establishment in 2021, the CAQM has pushed aggressively to clean up transport — from public to private. 'We have adopted an integrated and sustained strategy,' Verma said, involving cleaner fuels, faster EV adoption, and improvements in public transport access and reliability. The data shared also showed that much of the fleet remains dependent on polluting fuels. Verma shared data that 82% of vehicles in Delhi still run on petrol, 7% on diesel, 8% on CNG, and only 2.8% are electric or hybrid. Just 18% of the city's fleet is BS-IV compliant. 'Older vehicles — BS-IV and below — are responsible for nearly 70% of the city's vehicular pollution. Phasing them out is a key priority,' he said. Expanding EV infrastructure is central to this transition. Charging stations have rapidly multiplied across NCR, creating the ecosystem needed to support electric mobility. The CAQM has also tightened norms for new vehicles. Since January 2023, registration of diesel-run auto-rickshaws has been banned in NCR, with a complete phase-out due by December 2026. From November this year, only cleaner-fuel commercial goods vehicles will be allowed into Delhi. Beginning November 1, 2026, buses and All India Tourist Permit vehicles entering Delhi must be electric, CNG, or BS-VI compliant. The government is also targeting fast-growing logistics sectors. 'Aggregator fleets, delivery vehicles, and e-commerce logistics are growing faster than any other category,' Verma said. From January 1, 2026, only CNG or EVs can be added to these fleets — no new diesel or petrol vehicles will be permitted. 'These measures will be enforced through advanced surveillance systems and integrated command centres,' Verma said, stressing the importance of complementing technology with strong on-ground enforcement. 'We're working closely with enforcement agencies to ensure this is implemented properly.' Verma said the region is already beginning to see the results of these efforts. 'Since 2018, the number of good to moderate AQI days in Delhi has increased by 30%. Poor to severe days have reduced by nearly a quarter,' he said. Calling for continued collaboration, Verma said, 'Air pollution is a dynamic challenge that demands vigilance, innovation, and constant enforcement. CAQM is committed to bringing global best practices to India, striking a balance between present-day needs and a sustainable future.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Lloyds receives expert panel nod to expand iron ore mining in Gadchiroli
Nagpur: The experts appraisal committee (EAC) under the environment and forests ministry has given a green signal to Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited (LMEL) application seeking an environmental clearance (EC) to extract up to 26 million tones per annum (MTPA) of iron ore from its mine at Surjagarh hills in Gadchiroli district. This approval allows LMEL, which currently has the only operational mine in Gadchiroli, to more than double its output. The EC will remains valid for a period of 30 years, according to the recommendation. Currently, LMEL has an EC to mine up to 10 MTPA of iron ore. The EAC recommendation also clears the way for the extraction of 45 million tonnes of banded hematite quartz (BHQ) from the iron ore block. While iron ore is found on the upper reaches of the mines, BHQ is extracted from the lower depths of the mine. This is later crushed to extract hematite. The company hopes to derive as much as 15 million tonnes of hematite after the crushing process, said sources. A recommendation by the EAC, which comes under the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MOEFCC), is the final step towards granting EC. A formal document is expected to be issued soon, said a source involved in the process. The EAC has also listed a number of conditions along with the recommendation to grant EC. The committee has proposed that there will be no transportation of BHQ by road. The company is already building a pipeline to transport it in slurry form. The company will have to follow up on the status of the wildlife implementation plan from the forest officials and submit it to the ministry's regional office in Nagpur. LMEL will also have to deploy equipment like camera traps to record the presence of wild animals and their movement in the area and take steps to control man-animal conflicts, says the EAC. The EAC has also recommended that the company should use at least 20% of vehicles that run on alternative energy like electric, solar, or CNG in the site area. The company has also been asked by the EAC to complete the public hearing commitments for the project within three years to address the people's concerns over the project. It will have to comply with all the action plans made to address the concerns and also record the outcomes. LMEL, which has mines at Surjagarh, is building an integrated steel complex at Konsari, over 100km away. The ore mined from Surjagarh would largely feed the steel complex at Konsari. Nagpur: The experts appraisal committee (EAC) under the environment and forests ministry has given a green signal to Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited (LMEL) application seeking an environmental clearance (EC) to extract up to 26 million tones per annum (MTPA) of iron ore from its mine at Surjagarh hills in Gadchiroli district. This approval allows LMEL, which currently has the only operational mine in Gadchiroli, to more than double its output. The EC will remains valid for a period of 30 years, according to the recommendation. Currently, LMEL has an EC to mine up to 10 MTPA of iron ore. The EAC recommendation also clears the way for the extraction of 45 million tonnes of banded hematite quartz (BHQ) from the iron ore block. While iron ore is found on the upper reaches of the mines, BHQ is extracted from the lower depths of the mine. This is later crushed to extract hematite. The company hopes to derive as much as 15 million tonnes of hematite after the crushing process, said sources. A recommendation by the EAC, which comes under the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MOEFCC), is the final step towards granting EC. A formal document is expected to be issued soon, said a source involved in the process. The EAC has also listed a number of conditions along with the recommendation to grant EC. The committee has proposed that there will be no transportation of BHQ by road. The company is already building a pipeline to transport it in slurry form. The company will have to follow up on the status of the wildlife implementation plan from the forest officials and submit it to the ministry's regional office in Nagpur. LMEL will also have to deploy equipment like camera traps to record the presence of wild animals and their movement in the area and take steps to control man-animal conflicts, says the EAC. The EAC has also recommended that the company should use at least 20% of vehicles that run on alternative energy like electric, solar, or CNG in the site area. The company has also been asked by the EAC to complete the public hearing commitments for the project within three years to address the people's concerns over the project. It will have to comply with all the action plans made to address the concerns and also record the outcomes. LMEL, which has mines at Surjagarh, is building an integrated steel complex at Konsari, over 100km away. The ore mined from Surjagarh would largely feed the steel complex at Konsari.
