Gurgaon: More than 2.2 lakh end-of-life (EoL) vehicles continue to ply across Haryana’s NCR districts, undermining efforts to curb toxic air pollution before winter, when the region’s air quality typically deteriorates sharply.A Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) review has found that despite months of enforcement, more than a fourth of the state’s overage vehicles in NCR are still on roads, continuing to add to vehicular emissions.The review, prepared ahead of a high-level meeting on pollution mitigation, shows NCR districts in the state had 8.9 lakh EoL vehicles as of Dec 31, 2025. Of these, 2.2 lakh are still in operation despite restrictions on their use.The figures underline the scale of the challenge facing authorities. Between Jan and June this year, enforcement teams seized 4,722 EoL vehicles, scrapped 2,134 and issued 6,710 no-objection certificates (NOCs) to allow owners to shift their vehicles to non-NCR districts where they can still be legally operated under applicable norms. The state has now set a target of seizing 100 such vehicles every day.Officials said the crackdown is part of a broader strategy to reduce emissions before the onset of winter, when stagnant weather conditions trap pollutants close to the ground, pushing air quality into the severe category across large parts of NCR.Apart from roadside enforcement, the govt has launched awareness campaigns through newspaper advertisements, sent SMS alerts to owners of ageing vehicles and asked transport authorities and police to intensify monitoring.An EoL vehicle is one that has crossed the age limit prescribed under pollution-control norms in NCR. Under directions of the Supreme Court, National Green Tribunal and Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years cannot operate in Delhi. Haryana and other NCR states have also been asked to identify and remove such vehicles from the region.The state pollution report identifies BS-III and older vehicles as a key focus of the enforcement drive. Compared with Bharat-VI vehicles, they emit significantly higher levels of particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and other pollutants, making them a major contributor to winter pollution.Owners caught operating prohibited vehicles would face seizure and prosecution under the Motor Vehicles Act and environmental regulations. They must either scrap the vehicle or obtain an NOC to move it outside NCR.Several owners, however, said complying with the rules has become financially difficult.“I maintain my diesel SUV well and it clears the pollution test every year. Yet, I have no option but to scrap it because of its age,” said a city resident.A Faridabad vehicle owner said many middle-class families can’t afford replacements. “A vehicle may still be mechanically sound, but buying a new one is beyond the reach of many families. The govt should offer better incentives for scrapping or replacement,” he added.Environmental experts, however, maintained that phasing out ageing vehicles remains one of the fastest ways to cut transport emissions, particularly before winter. Haryana’s NCR districts include Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sonipat, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Rewari, Nuh, Palwal, Panipat, Mahendergarh, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Jind and Karnal.
