Delhi air pollution: Supreme Court urges pause in border toll
The Supreme Court has asked MCD to take a decision in one week on closing its nine toll plazas for the time being.
- Dec 17, 2025,
- Updated Dec 17, 2025 4:27 PM IST
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the temporary pausing of operations at nine toll collection booths in Delhi, citing the urgent need to address pollution associated with traffic congestion at the capital's entry points. This move is part of ongoing efforts to improve air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) by reducing emissions from vehicular delays at toll plazas.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant mandated the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to assess the feasibility of relocating these toll booths, currently operated by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), to sites where NHAI can manage them. During the proceedings, the court noted that a portion of toll proceeds at the new locations could be diverted to the MCD to compensate for any loss from the suspension.
The Supreme Court also issued notices to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the MCD, seeking their responses to concerns that traffic jams at entry toll plazas contribute to Delhi's air quality issues. The MCD was instructed to cooperate with NHAI and consider suspending the operation of the nine toll plazas on a temporary basis, with a decision to be taken within one week and placed on record.
Chief Justice Surya Kant observed that air pollution has become a recurring issue and emphasised the need for long-term planning by regulatory bodies. The outcome of these deliberations and any subsequent actions by the MCD or NHAI are expected to be reported within one week, as per the court's instructions.
Meanwhile, Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa acknowledged that the pollution level in Delhi was very high and the next few days are not expected to be any better. "We are continuously working to improve air quality in the coming week. There will be 50 per cent work from home in Delhi, which is a significant step. Starting tomorrow, I appeal to the people of Delhi to get their PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificates. They will not get fuel without a PUC certificate. Trucks carrying construction materials into Delhi have also been banned," he said, urging commuters from outside Delhi to only bring vehicles that comply with Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission standards.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the temporary pausing of operations at nine toll collection booths in Delhi, citing the urgent need to address pollution associated with traffic congestion at the capital's entry points. This move is part of ongoing efforts to improve air quality in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) by reducing emissions from vehicular delays at toll plazas.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant mandated the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to assess the feasibility of relocating these toll booths, currently operated by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), to sites where NHAI can manage them. During the proceedings, the court noted that a portion of toll proceeds at the new locations could be diverted to the MCD to compensate for any loss from the suspension.
The Supreme Court also issued notices to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) and the MCD, seeking their responses to concerns that traffic jams at entry toll plazas contribute to Delhi's air quality issues. The MCD was instructed to cooperate with NHAI and consider suspending the operation of the nine toll plazas on a temporary basis, with a decision to be taken within one week and placed on record.
Chief Justice Surya Kant observed that air pollution has become a recurring issue and emphasised the need for long-term planning by regulatory bodies. The outcome of these deliberations and any subsequent actions by the MCD or NHAI are expected to be reported within one week, as per the court's instructions.
Meanwhile, Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa acknowledged that the pollution level in Delhi was very high and the next few days are not expected to be any better. "We are continuously working to improve air quality in the coming week. There will be 50 per cent work from home in Delhi, which is a significant step. Starting tomorrow, I appeal to the people of Delhi to get their PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificates. They will not get fuel without a PUC certificate. Trucks carrying construction materials into Delhi have also been banned," he said, urging commuters from outside Delhi to only bring vehicles that comply with Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission standards.