NEW DELHI: Tourist bus and taxi operators have voiced sharp opposition to a new directive that will bar BS-IV diesel public transport vehicles registered outside Delhi from operating in the National Capital Region starting November 2026. The order, issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on July 3, has sparked strong pushback from the transport community, which says the move is unfair, sudden, and economically devastating.
Notably, the upcoming ban does not apply to BS-IV vehicles registered in Delhi. That distinction, however, has only added to the frustration among operators, many of whom say they were forced to register their vehicles outside the capital due to an existing ban on registering diesel buses and tempo travellers in Delhi for the past decade.
"The Commission hereby further directs that no buses, other than CNG/EV/BS-VI Diesel, including those operating under All India Tourist Permit and other service regimes, shall be permitted to enter into Delhi w.e.f. 01.11.2026. These restrictions shall, however, not be applicable to such buses which are registered in Delhi," the CAQM order read.
Operators say many of these BS-IV diesel vehicles, purchased in 2020, are still in near-new condition because they remained idle for extended periods during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
They added that the financial burden during that time was immense. “Bankers and private financiers took away many of our buses due to EMI defaults. Some operators managed to retain their vehicles by taking loans from private lenders or even selling family gold. The government provided no relief to bus owners during this crisis,” said Sanjay Samrat, President of the Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transporters Association.
Transporters argue that the CAQM’s decision to phase out BS-IV vehicles after only five to six years of service violates the very norms set by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, which mandate a 10-year operational life for diesel vehicles in the Delhi-NCR region.
“Our vehicles have valid registration certificates that allow them to operate for 10 years. If this is the legal lifespan, why is the CAQM banning them prematurely? This isn’t just about buses—it’s about the drivers, cleaners, helpers, and entire families whose livelihoods depend on these vehicles,” said the association in a letter to Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
The transporters have appealed to the minister to intervene and push for a revision of the order, urging that BS-IV diesel buses be allowed to operate until the end of their valid registration period. They say a sudden ban will not only cripple their businesses but also render crores worth of investment worthless.