Clean fuel norms will change NCR by 2026

Expanding EV infrastructure and weeding out old polluting vehicles is central to this transition, says CAQM chief Rajesh Verma

- Jasjeev Gandhiok [e-mail]

NEW DELHI: The National Capital Region (NCR) is undergoing a critical transformation in the way it moves — not just in terms of technology, but in vision, said Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) chairperson Rajesh Verma on Thursday, making a strong case for clean mobility on World Environment Day.

Speaking at Urban Adda 2025, a three-day event hosted by the Raahgiri Foundation, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), and GuruJal, Verma delivered the keynote address on the final day, underscoring that vehicular emissions remain at the heart of NCR's air pollution crisis. HT is a media partner for the event.

"Among the many contributors to air pollution, vehicular emissions remain one of the most pressing issues," Verma said, highlighting how the explosive growth in vehicle numbers has vastly outpaced infrastructure. "Between 1981 and 2021, the number of vehicles in Delhi grew 21-fold, while the road length only doubled." Verma said, stating vehicles were growing at a much rapid pace, thus making the transition to cleaner fuels a slow but gradual exercise.

Delhi today has 15.2 million registered vehicles growing at 6% annually, while the rest of NCR accounts for another 11.4 million vehicles, growing at an even faster 8%. Although the Capital occupies just 2.7% of NCR's land area, it houses 57% of its vehicles — placing extraordinary strain on infrastructure and contributing significantly to the region's toxic air, Verma said.

Since its establishment in 2021, CAQM has pushed aggressively to clean up transport — from public to private. These include involving cleaner fuels, faster EV adoption, and improvements in public transport access and reliability.