Entry of heavy and medium goods vehicles into Delhi banned for three days
New Delhi, Nov 8: The entry of heavy and medium goods vehicles into the national capital will be banned for three days beginning 11pm on Thursday night as Delhi's air quality worsened to the "severe-plus emergency" category following cracker burning on Diwali.
The Transport department of the Delhi government has issued a notification regarding the ban. It has also appealed to private diesel vehicle owners to avoid using their vehicles during the period.
As per the notification, entry of heavy and medium goods vehicles into the national capital will be banned from 11 pm of November 8 till 11 pm of November 11, Special Commissioner of Transport department K K Dahiya said.
"The notification has been issued to comply with the direction of the Environmental Pollution Control Agency (EPCA) and the Traffic Police and municipal corporations have been directed to enforce the ban," he said.
Vehicles carrying vegetables, fruits, grains, milk, egg, ice etc., that is to be used as food items and tankers carrying petroleum products will be exempted, Dahiya said.
Joint Commissioner (Traffic) of Police Alok Kumar said adequate deployment of police personnel has been done at all border entry points to enforce the ban.
"Support from police of neighbouring districts of Delhi-NCR has also been sought to ensure smooth and hassle-free movement for other motorists during this period," he said.
Vehicles which need to reach other destinations are being suggested to take the Eastern Peripheral Expressway instead of entering Delhi, Kumar said.
A senior official of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) said as per instructions issued by the EPCA, the ban on entry of trucks carrying non-essential commodities will be strictly enforced.
Over 50,000 goods carriers enter Delhi mostly through 13 toll points managed by the civic body. Besides, there are also several less-used entry points from neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
