Recent Directives by the CAQM: A New Era in Air Quality Governance for NCR
Recent Directives by the CAQM: A New Era in Air Quality Governance for NCR By Adv. Abhishek Jat The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), established under the Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Act, 2021, has issued a series of critical directives in June 2025 to address persistent air pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR). These mandates represent a significant regulatory shift, targeting vehicular emissions, waste management, and inter-state policy coordination to improve ambient air quality. Regulatory Developments 1. Transition to Clean Mobility In a landmark move, the CAQM has mandated that all aggregators and e-commerce entities operating within NCR must exclusively induct compressed natural gas (CNG) or electric three-wheeler autorickshaws from 2026 onwards. The registration of new diesel or petrol vehicles in specified categories is prohibited, compelling a systemic transition to cleaner transport alterna...