Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) was constituted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, under Section 3 of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021. Under Section 12(1) of the Act, the Commission is empowered to take measures and issue directions as it deems necessary for protecting and improving air quality in NCR and Adjoining Areas. Under Section 12(2)(xi), the Commission is empowered to issue directions in writing to any person, officer or authority, and such person, officer or authority is bound to comply.

The NCR continues to experience adverse air quality conditions with PM2.5 as the predominant pollutant determining the Air Quality Index (AQI). The vehicular sector accounts for approximately 23% of total PM2.5 load during winter months and about 18% during summer months in Delhi-NCR. Within the vehicular sector, 3-Wheelers (3Ws), despite accounting for approximately 2.2% of new vehicle sales, contribute about 19% of transport PM emissions from new vehicles across NCR, indicating high emission intensity per vehicle. Their active fleet level contribution to PM emissions ranges from 3.6% in Delhi-NCR to 14% in NCT of Delhi. CNG 3-Wheelers are also a major source of nitrogen oxides (NOx), with a recent study indicating that CNG auto-rickshaws in Delhi emitted 3 to 5 times higher NOx than petrol equivalents under real-world driving conditions.

An Expert Committee was constituted by the Commission in December 2025. The Expert Committee in its Interim Report submitted in April 2026 observed that 3-Wheelers account for a notable share of vehicular emissions due to their widespread usage for passenger mobility and last mile goods transport, and recommended transition of 3-Wheelers to EV in a phased manner in Delhi, High Vehicle Density (HVD) districts, and rest of NCR. Estimation in the Interim Report indicates that transitioning to 100% EV in new 3W sales may result in elimination of about 5.5 tons of PM2.5 annually from new 3W additions in NCR. The Commission had earlier issued Direction No. 70 dated 30.11.2022, mandating phasing out of diesel auto rickshaws from NCR by December 2026 and new registration of only CNG/EV auto rickshaws with effect from 01.01.2023. The Transport Department, Government of NCT of Delhi, issued a draft Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy, 2026 on 11.04.2026, under which it has been proposed that from 01 January 2027, only electric three-wheelers (L5) shall be permitted for new registration in NCT of Delhi.

The Commission, in exercise of powers under Section 12 of the Act, issues the following directions:

16. NOW, THEREFORE, in view of the foregoing and in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 12 of the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, the Commission hereby directs that only electric 3-Wheelers of L5 category (Passenger and Goods) shall be permitted to be registered in Delhi-NCR, in a phased manner, as under:

(a) National Capital Territory of Delhi – with effect from 01.01.2027;

(b) High Vehicle Density (HVD) districts of NCR, namely Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar – with effect from 01.01.2028; and

(c) All other districts of NCR – with effect from 01.01.2029.

17. This Direction shall operate in addition to and not in derogation of the directions, advisories, orders and other measures issued by the Commission under the Act for prevention, control and abatement of air pollution in NCR. In the event of any inconsistency, the provisions of this Direction shall prevail to the extent of such inconsistency.
18. The above Direction of the Commission shall be complied with in letter and spirit and strict enforcement thereof shall be ensured by the GNCTD/NCR State Governments. The GNCTD/NCR State Governments shall also give wide publicity to this Direction and take all necessary measures for ensuring its effective implementation within their respective jurisdictions.