In a significant relaxation of its earlier directive, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has granted a reprieve to app-based aggregators, delivery platforms, and e-commerce companies operating in the Delhi-NCR region. The commission has now permitted them to continue adding new BS-VI-compliant petrol two-wheelers to their service fleets until the end of December 31, 2026.
Reversal of the June Directive
This decision, formalized in a new order dated December 23, modifies a stricter mandate issued by the CAQM in June of this year. The previous order had prohibited the addition of any new diesel or petrol-run vehicles into the service fleets of aggregators, delivery providers, and e-commerce entities from January 1, 2026. That ban covered all two-wheelers, four-wheeler light commercial vehicles (LCVs), and four-wheeler light goods vehicles (LGVs) in the N1 category, pushing for an exclusive shift to electric or CNG vehicles.
The latest modification, however, introduces a crucial exemption specifically for petrol two-wheelers that meet the latest BS-VI emission standards. The commission stated that this relaxation is intended to facilitate a smoother and more practical transition towards cleaner mobility solutions.
The EV Adoption Shortfall
The primary reason cited for this policy adjustment is the slower-than-expected adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the delivery and aggregator sector. The CAQM pointed directly to the Delhi Motor Vehicle Aggregator and Delivery Service Provider Scheme, which was notified on November 21, 2023.
This scheme had set ambitious EV adoption targets for new fleets of delivery service providers: 25% for two and three-wheelers within one year, and 50% within two years from the scheme's notification date. However, the reality on the ground has fallen far short. EV adoption in the new fleet for two-wheelers stands at a mere 9% currently, against the target of 50%.
The commission attributed this gap to the non-registration of an adequate number of gig workers with high-speed EV two-wheelers. Following numerous representations from aggregators, delivery service providers, e-commerce companies, and the gig workers themselves highlighting operational difficulties, the CAQM reconsidered its stance.
Balancing Pollution Control and Practicality
In its June order, the CAQM had emphasized that vehicles used by these sectors log exceptionally high running kilometres, making it imperative to control the resulting vehicular pollution by regulating fleet composition. The new order, decided in a meeting on December 22, seeks a balance between this environmental imperative and the ground-level challenges of a rapid transition.
The commission has now decided to allow the induction of BS-VI emission standard two-wheelers in the existing fleets of these entities up to December 31, 2026. This provides a clear, extended timeline for the industry to scale up EV infrastructure and adoption.
This move is seen as a pragmatic step that acknowledges the current limitations of the EV ecosystem for last-mile delivery while maintaining pressure for an eventual full shift to zero-emission vehicles. It offers businesses and workers a crucial window to adapt without severely disrupting essential services in the national capital region.
