Transport body calls 3-day chakka jam in Delhi-NCR

The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), the apex body of transport operators, has decided to suspend operations of commercial vehicles (CVs) in Delhi-NCR from May 21-23 over rising costs due to levies like the environment compensation cess (ECC) and arbitrary regulations.

Around 1.7 million CVs, including small cargo vehicles and larger trucks, plying inside NCR will not operate from Thursday to Saturday, said Harish Sabharwal, president, AIMTC.

"Many associations across India have also supported our call by saying that they will not load Delhi-bound vehicles from their respective states on the three days," he told Business Standard.

There are around 500,000 to 600,000 such vehicles, according to an AIMTC representative. The AIMTC represents 9.5 million truckers and 2.6 million private buses and taxis.

ECC is levied by the Delhi government on CVs at all borders of the national capital.

'Despite crores of rupees collected under ECC since 2015, there has been no significant improvement in air quality. According to news reports, Rs.1,753.2 crore of ECC was collected till December 4, 2025, and of this, the government has spent only Rs.781.4 crore, while the remaining Rs.971.8 crore -- 55.4 per cent -- is lying unused. ECC has effectively become a revenue-

generating mechanism,' AIMTC said.

Moreover, the body has also opposed upcoming restrictions on older CVs. The Delhi government is going to ban BS-4 CVs from entering the national capital from November this year.

Transport expert Anil Chikkara, who was at the AIMTC press conference, said: 'Delhi is a low-speed, low-load city as the average speed here is below 20 kmph. An analysis of tail-pipe emissions from BS-4 and BS-6 diesel vehicles showed that emissions were the same in these conditions. The difference in emissions only comes in high-load, high-speed situations.'

Transporters are also struggling with rising fuel costs. "We support the government in this tough time of war. But when crude oil prices were low, the government did not pass on the benefit. Now, diesel prices have been hiked. The government pocketed the profit and losses are being passed on," said Sabharwal.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who has previously opposed ECC, said on Tuesday that he discussed the matter with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and a solution will be worked out soon.

 -- Dhruvaksh Saha, Business Standard