NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court has sought detailed responses from Delhi and three neighbouring states on how they control vehicle emissions in the National Capital Region (NCR), saying the issue warrants urgent and immediate intervention as the capital's air quality deteriorates. The court's order, dated November 6, was reported in detail on Monday and Tuesday.

Source: Hindu BusinessLine

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Delhi government, Delhi Police's traffic department and the governments of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to file detailed responses within two weeks.

The authorities must explain how they regulate the entry and movement of commercial and private vehicles, enforce Pollution Under Control (PUC) requirements, and prevent over-age, end-of-life and other non-compliant vehicles from operating in the region — including vehicles entering Delhi from neighbouring states. The court also sought figures on vehicles inspected, challaned and denied entry, and details of inter-state coordination.

Source: Hindustan Times via Law of the Land summary

The bench noted that Delhi and the NCR bear the cumulative burden of traffic originating not only within their own boundaries but also from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. It also recorded that compliance with its earlier orders of January 21 and February 23 had, according to the court's amici curiae, not yet been properly reported.

According to a report of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) cited in the proceedings, vehicular emissions are the single-largest source of air pollution in the NCR, accounting for about 23 per cent in winter and 19 per cent in summer. The intervention follows an assessment of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) compliance between October 21 and November 3, during which stubble-burning incidents were reported to have fallen sharply.

Source: Global Nexus summary of the order

What happens next

The court has not announced any new blanket ban or fresh penalties; it has sought explanations and action plans, covering both steps already taken and short- and long-term measures proposed. The vehicular-emissions matter is listed for November 23, with companion air-pollution proceedings — on green cover, construction and industry, and solid waste and stubble burning — listed between November 25 and 30.