As Delhi grapples with yet another spell of toxic air, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has announced the formation of an expert panel dedicated to identifying and recommending strategies to curb vehicular emissions—one of the dominant contributors to the region’s hazardous air quality. With the Air Quality Index (AQI) oscillating between the ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories for several consecutive days, the central agency has initiated what it describes as an urgent and necessary step to safeguard public health and guide long-term, evidence-backed policymaking.

On Friday, Delhi’s 24-hour average AQI stood at 349, firmly lodged in the ‘very poor’ category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The persistent smog-laden conditions have continued to raise alarm, prompting renewed scrutiny of pollution sources and a more coordinated intervention to mitigate the seasonal air quality crisis that afflicts India’s capital and its adjoining regions each winter.

In its official statement, the CAQM confirmed that the newly constituted panel will be chaired by Ashok Jhunjhunwala, a distinguished professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and a well-regarded voice in sustainable mobility and energy systems. The committee comprises academicians, health experts, and environmental specialists, with the flexibility to induct additional experts or institutions should the need arise. The panel’s first meeting is scheduled for December 15, 2025, and it is expected to submit initial findings, followed by comprehensive recommendations, within two months.

According to the CAQM, the primary mandate of the committee is to conduct an in-depth review of existing policies, programmes, and regulatory structures that govern clean mobility in the region. The panel will assess the segment-wise contributions of vehicular emissions—ranging from private vehicles and commercial fleets to public transport, two-wheelers, and logistics carriers—to identify the categories causing the most severe harm. The committee will then recommend targeted regulatory measures to reduce emissions across these segments, keeping in mind the technical, economic and behavioural barriers that could hamper implementation.

A key part of the committee’s remit involves evaluating India’s readiness for an accelerated shift toward electric vehicles (EVs). This includes examining technological maturity, market preparedness, and infrastructural requirements such as charging networks, grid capacity, and supply-chain constraints. The CAQM has specifically tasked the panel with analysing the cost implications of a rapid EV transition across various segments—including heavy-duty vehicles, which present unique challenges due to battery size, range requirements, and operational patterns. In addition to vehicular electrification, the panel will explore complementary strategies such as fleet modernization, adoption of cleaner fuel alternatives, strengthening of emissions monitoring systems, and enhanced compliance and enforcement mechanisms.

The CAQM’s decision follows months of heightened concern about deteriorating air quality and the significant role of vehicular emissions, especially during the colder months when atmospheric conditions trap pollutants close to the ground. While stubble burning, dust, and industrial pollution remain contributing factors, data consistently show transport-related emissions as a major year-round source of urban smog in the National Capital Region (NCR). The agency reiterated that reducing vehicular emissions has been one of its core focus areas in discussions with NCR state governments and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD).

The move also comes amid legal deliberations concerning older vehicles in the region. Earlier this week, the CAQM approached the Supreme Court seeking a review of its August 12 order, which had instructed authorities not to take coercive action against owners of 10-year-old diesel vehicles and 15-year-old petrol vehicles in Delhi. In a detailed affidavit running over 300 pages, the CAQM argued that older and end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) pose a substantial environmental risk due to significantly higher emission levels compared to newer models complying with Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) emission norms.

The commission submitted that allowing older vehicles—especially those compliant only with BS-III or lower standards—to remain operational would undermine ongoing efforts to reduce air pollution. The CAQM emphasised that the emission potential of BS-III and earlier vehicles is far greater than those built to meet stringent BS-VI norms, thereby making their regulation essential for effective pollution control. The affidavit also referenced prior judicial interventions: the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had issued orders in 2014 and 2015 restricting the movement of ELVs in the NCR, and these directives were upheld by the Supreme Court in October 2018. Post-2018, Delhi authorities had routinely impounded non-compliant vehicles, a practice that significantly improved enforcement but is now under reconsideration.

Against this backdrop, the formation of the expert committee signals a renewed push for structured, science-based policy development. The CAQM noted that evidence-based decision-making is critical at a time when public health risks from air pollution are becoming increasingly severe. Prolonged exposure to poor air quality, especially at the levels recorded this season, has well-documented links to respiratory diseases, cardiovascular complications, reduced immunity, and long-term developmental impacts on children.

The panel’s work is expected to integrate insights from environmental science, economics, public health, and technology innovation in order to craft realistic, scalable interventions. The committee will also interact with a wide range of stakeholders—including vehicle manufacturers, industry associations, state pollution control boards, municipal agencies, public transport operators, and civil society organisations—to understand practical constraints and align policy recommendations with ground realities.

In addition to long-term planning, the committee has been empowered to issue interim recommendations, which could help authorities take immediate actions during the ongoing winter pollution cycle. Possible short-term measures may include restrictions on high-emission vehicle categories, stronger monitoring of traffic hotspots, enhanced enforcement of idling regulations, expansion of public transport services, and temporary diversions for commercial vehicles entering Delhi during peak pollution periods.

By establishing this panel, the CAQM has indicated a shift toward more structured and systemic approaches to tackling Delhi’s perennial crisis of vehicular pollution. The coming months will reveal how far-reaching and actionable the committee’s recommendations will be, and whether they can pave the way for cleaner mobility, stronger enforcement, and a healthier urban environment for the nearly 32 million residents of the Delhi-NCR region.

With the air continuing to hover at dangerous levels and pollution-linked health concerns mounting, the urgency of this task cannot be overstated. The expert panel’s findings may well shape the next phase of Delhi’s clean-air roadmap, offering a blueprint for a more sustainable and breathable future.