Supreme Court terms vehicular emissions major contributor to air pollution in Delhi-NCR

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Commuters wade through dense smog in New Delhi on November 6, 2026. | Photo Credit: ANI

The Supreme Court on Friday (November 6, 2026) termed vehicular emissions a major contributor to air pollution in Delhi-NCR and said immediate, medium- and long-term measures were needed to curb the rising air quality index.

Hearing a suo motu case examining the regulatory framework governing air pollution, a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana also expressed concern over “bumper-to-bumper” traffic in Delhi-NCR.

“We keep talking and sometimes make statements and suggestions, but the point is that AQI is already touching 400,” the CJI said.

The Bench highlighted the large number of vehicles plying on roads connecting Delhi with neighbouring areas, including Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurugram and Faridabad.

“Look at the roads in Delhi and the roads connecting Delhi with the NCR. Take a look at any road and the kind of vehicles moving on it. That is the major problem,” the CJI said.

The Bench said the poor people are the real sufferers, as they are on the roads, and moreover, the festival time is the only period when they earn a livelihood.

On stubble burning, the Bench stressed the need to educate farmers about using machines instead of resorting to farm fires.

On the plea seeking closure of schools or running them in hybrid mode for students of all age groups if the air quality index (AQI) rises above a certain mark, the bench said it will go by experts’ opinion.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre and other authorities, referred to the regulatory framework covering five major sectors: industrial emissions, vehicular pollution, construction and demolition dust, road dust and stubble burning.

She told the Bench that several measures had been introduced, including restrictions on the entry of certain vehicles, geo-tagging of pollution under control (PUC) certificates and action against visibly polluting vehicles through complaints received on applications and social media.

Ms. Bhati told the Bench that stubble burning accounted for 14 per cent of Delhi’s pollution on Thursday (November 5, 2026).

The Bench said it will pass some orders and take up the plea on November 16 after the court reopens following the Diwali vacation.

A thick layer of smog hung over the national capital on Friday (November 6, 2026) as the air quality deteriorated sharply and edged closer to the ‘severe’ category, with the overall AQI settling at 391.

Of the 59 monitoring stations across the city, 30 recorded ‘severe’ air quality at 9 a.m., while the remaining were in the ‘very poor’ category.

Rohini recorded the worst AQI at 475, followed by IIT Delhi at 472, official data showed.

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