The second day of Delhi government's stringent ban on non-BS 6 vehicles entering from other states unfolded with continued arguments, confusion, and disrupted daily commutes at the capital's borders on Friday. While traffic volume at key entry points like Kalindi Kunj, Chilla, DND, and Ghazipur was lower than the chaotic Thursday, a significant number of commuters still faced harrowing experiences as police enforced the new pollution control rule.
Commuters Bear the Brunt of Abrupt Enforcement
For countless daily travelers between Delhi and NCR cities, the workday was derailed. Police personnel meticulously scanned the number series of each car, asking for papers and checking emission standards via mobile apps. Amit Kumar, after completing a night shift at his Noida office, was barred from driving his Haryana-registered BS 4 Santro back home to Faridabad. "I came to Noida on Thursday evening without any checking. Now they are not allowing me to go home," he said, left incredulous. He was advised to park at a metro station and take a train instead.
Similarly, Sachin Kumar, who drove from Dehradun to Noida for a business meeting in his BS 4 car, was flagged down. Unaware of the new rule, his options were to wait it out in Noida or take a lengthy detour via the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, bypassing Delhi entirely. This detour logic baffled many. "You want to cut down on pollution, and at the same time, make us drive many more kilometres on the road? How does that make sense?" questioned one frustrated commuter, highlighting a common grievance about the rule potentially increasing fuel burn and emissions.
Fines, Threats, and Contradictory Instructions
Manish Tripathi, a resident of Greater Noida West, was stopped on the DND Flyway while heading to his south Delhi office. Despite having a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate for his BS 4 Ertiga, police threatened him with a Rs 10,000 fine and asked him to take a U-turn. "This uncertainty has badly disrupted office commutes. Ad hoc enforcement cannot be a long-term solution," he lamented.
The situation was exacerbated by a lack of coordination and clear information. Nilesh Sharma, commuting from Noida's Sector 7x to ITO in his BS 4 EcoSport, was given contradictory instructions. Noida police told him petrol BS 4 cars with valid PUC were allowed, only for Delhi police to stop him at the border. "I had no option but to return home and take my bike," he said, adding that he reached office late, missed a meeting, and lost work hours. "This lack of coordination is deeply frustrating — commuters are paying the price for official confusion."
Police Data and Official Stance
By Friday evening, the enforcement drive yielded significant numbers. In Noida alone, police fined 486 vehicles and forced 591 more to take U-turns from Delhi entry points. An additional 207 challans were issued for PUC norm violations.
Across Delhi, traffic police checked 5,037 vehicles across 13 circles, turning back 419 and issuing 374 challans. The Narela circle saw the highest number of checks (1,682 vehicles), while Najafgarh saw the most vehicles turned back (134). Shahdara led in enforcement actions with 114 challans issued.
Noida DCP (Traffic) Pravin Ranjan Singh stated that while non-compliant vehicles were primarily told to turn back, fines were issued selectively, often when drivers argued or caused disturbances during checks. "Some violators were fined up to Rs 10,000," he confirmed. Delhi ACP (Traffic) Dinesh Kumar Gupta emphasized extensive preparations for the drive, with 37 Prakhar vans and over 500 personnel deployed at major borders. Officials indicated the enforcement would continue in the coming days, urging commuters to check vehicle compliance and use public transport or alternative routes where possible.
