Around 57 per cent of Delhi-NCR residents rated the enforcement of restrictions on the entry of non-BS VI vehicles to the National Capital as “poor” or “very poor” in a survey, citing inadequate planning, traffic congestion, and a lack of advance communication. The survey conducted by LocalCircles, a community social media platform, analysed 18,243 responses from residents of Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad.
It found that 43 per cent of people rated the enforcement as “very poor”, saying that restrictions were implemented without adequate planning, resulting in major traffic chaos and inconvenience.
Another 14 per cent rated it as “poor”, citing inadequate advance communication and traffic management that led to avoidable disruptions. In comparison, 14 per cent said the implementation was “average” and could have been better.
Only 7 per cent of respondents rated the enforcement as “good” and 8 per cent as “very good”. Another 14 per cent said they could not give a clear answer. At the same time, none of the respondents selected the options suggesting that authorities should have provided more advance notice or public transport alternatives.
The restrictions, which came into force on November 1 under the Delhi government’s Winter Action Plan, barred petrol and diesel vehicles registered outside the national capital and not complying with BS-VI emission standards from entering the city until January 31, 2027.
The curbs cover BS-III and BS-IV private cars and commercial vehicles, while CNG, electric, and essential-service vehicles are exempt. Transport department estimates suggest that more than 10 lakh vehicles from Gurugram, Faridabad, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad could be affected. As per a LocalCircles survey, the rollout of the restrictions triggered long traffic queues and delays at several entry points.
The NH-48 stretch near the Sirhaul toll plaza remained congested for five to six hours on Sunday, with queues extending up to 5 kilometres onto the Shankar Chowk flyover and service roads.
Traffic snarls were also reported on Monday at the DND Flyway, Chilla border, Yamuna Bridge, Sarai Kale Khan and the Outer Ring Road, it said.
The report also highlighted confusion over exemptions, with some commuters claiming that Delhi-registered non-BS-VI vehicles were turned back despite being exempt from the restrictions.
According to figures shared by Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, authorities checked 14,930 vehicles on the first day of enforcement, of which 1,539 were turned back at border points. Authorities issued 127 challans for entry violations and impounded 62 vehicles.
Separately, authorities fined 566 vehicles a total of Rs 56.6 lakh for not carrying valid Pollution Under Control certificates, bringing total penalties on the first day to Rs 68.4 lakh. The survey report said the findings did not indicate opposition to clean-air measures but highlighted concerns about their implementation, particularly long queues at border points, inadequate communication, and confusion over exemptions.
It also highlighted commuters’ concerns about higher daily travel expenses, with some estimating an additional Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 a day on cabs to reach their workplaces or nearby metro stations. The survey was conducted among validated citizens registered on the LocalCircles platform.