An India Today ground investigation at the Delhi–Noida border has exposed a troubling contradiction between policy and practice. Even as Delhi reeled under severe air pollution and the strictest anti-pollution restrictions under GRAP-4 were in force, unauthorised diesel-run passenger buses were found operating openly, loading commuters in full public view with little fear of action from enforcement agencies.
Despite the public health emergency and repeated appeals to citizens to limit movement, these illegal buses continued to function brazenly. During a 15-minute observation window, multiple such vehicles—many visibly old and poorly maintained—were seen lined up along the border, almost like a scheduled convoy, waiting for the 9 pm Noida entry window. Once that window opened, they prepared to exit Delhi carrying overloaded passengers and bulky luggage.
What made the situation more alarming was that many of these buses were Euro-3, BS-3, or BS-4 diesel vehicles, categories that are expressly banned from operating within Delhi, where only BS-6 compliant vehicles are permitted. Yet buses such as UP-22 AT 0875 were seen openly boarding passengers and goods. When questioned, operators did not even attempt to deny the violations.
Inside one of these buses, the investigation team spoke to Samir, a bus operator who admitted without hesitation that his diesel bus routinely carried 30 to 35 passengers along with luggage. When asked about permits to operate in Delhi, he acknowledged the absence of authorisation, underscoring how normalised such violations have become.
Another vehicle, bearing the registration UP-11 CT 7275, abruptly stopped its activity as soon as a camera appeared, though not before passengers and luggage had already been loaded. This sudden retreat highlighted an awareness of wrongdoing, even as the activity continued unabated until challenged.
Perhaps the most revealing admission came from Farukh, the owner of bus UP-38 AT 2453. He openly stated that his vehicle was a 2017-model diesel bus running without any valid Delhi permit. Asked how it continued to operate, he replied casually that it was being run “just like that,” adding that no one stopped them. He further disclosed that the bus’s papers had already been seized earlier in Amroha by the RTO for illegally carrying goods, yet the vehicle was still on the road.
A similar pattern emerged with another bus, UP-17 AT 4707, which was found to be in visibly poor condition. After initially evading questions, the operator, Kamal, eventually admitted that the bus was diesel-powered, headed to Badaun, and lacked a valid permit to operate in Delhi.
The legal framework leaves little room for ambiguity. Under GRAP-4, Delhi enforces the strictest controls on vehicle movement and fuel use, including a complete ban on BS-3 and BS-4 diesel vehicles, prohibition of unauthorised contract and “daggamar” buses, restrictions on overloading, and a ban on unauthorised inter-state passenger pickups. Since 2020, BS-6 compliance has been mandatory nationwide, with Delhi imposing even tighter restrictions due to its hazardous air quality.
Yet, in full view of Delhi Police, the Transport Department, municipal authorities, and other enforcement agencies, these buses continue to ply daily. Their operation not only worsens air pollution but also bypasses taxes, flouts safety norms, and exposes passengers to serious risks.
The implications go far beyond pollution alone. These unauthorised buses operate without legal permits, evade regulatory scrutiny, overload vehicles beyond safe limits, and undermine legitimate public transport systems. Their unchecked presence points to either systemic regulatory failure or tacit complicity, especially when such violations occur openly at major transit corridors.
What the investigation reveals is not a one-off lapse but a pattern of sustained neglect. Illegal diesel buses continue to pick up passengers across Delhi every day, slipping past checkpoints without emissions compliance, permits, or accountability, even as the city struggles to breathe.
As Delhi grapples with a public health crisis driven by toxic air, these unauthorised operations quietly undo efforts to curb pollution. If GRAP-4—the most stringent pollution control regime in the country—cannot prevent banned diesel buses from operating freely, it raises urgent and uncomfortable questions about enforcement, responsibility, and accountability.
Who is allowing these violations to persist? Who benefits from this silence? And why are Delhi’s residents being forced to pay the price with their health? India Today’s investigation has traced the problem in plain sight. The answers, now, lie squarely with the authorities entrusted to enforce the law.
