Delhi AQI Today: The Delhi government will continue enforcing its “No PUC, No fuel” policy for vehicles even after the withdrawal of GRAP-IV restrictions,
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Tuesday, signalling a tougher, longer-term push against air pollution. Addressing a press conference, Sirsa said strict anti-pollution measures would remain in place and vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate would not be allowed to operate in the city. He added that enforcement would not ease with the relaxation of GRAP-IV curbs. The minister said inspections of PUC centres across Delhi had revealed serious violations. Several centres were found non-functional, while 12 were detected with defective equipment. These centres have been suspended and served notices. “If anyone is found violating norms, strict action will be taken,” Sirsa said. As part of stepped-up efforts to curb rising air pollution in the national capital, Delhi enforced the ‘No PUC, No Fuel’ rule from December 18, barring vehicles without a valid Pollution Under Control certificate from refuelling.
100 crores for Water Bodies
Alongside pollution control measures, the government has proposed allocating Rs 100 crore for the rejuvenation of water bodies across the capital. Sirsa said Delhi has nearly 1,000 water bodies in need of restoration, and the funding would support efforts to revive them.
He also announced that four new vehicle emission testing centres have been approved, and permission has been granted to open additional testing facilities for commercial vehicles, aimed at strengthening compliance and monitoring across the city.
Delhi air pollution
Delhi’s air quality slipped into the ‘severe’ category on Tuesday as dense fog blanketed the national capital, disrupting flight and rail services. The Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 415 at 3 pm, reflecting hazardous pollution levels.
Visibility dropped sharply to just 50 metres at both Palam and Safdarjung, leading to delays of over 200 flights at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. Several train services were also affected due to poor visibility.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the maximum temperature in Delhi is likely to hover around 22 degrees Celsius, while the minimum is expected to be about 9 degrees Celsius. No colour-coded weather warning has been issued for the city.
