Set cameras for aged vehicles immediately: Delhi minister

Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Friday directed the immediate installation of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at all border points to identify end-of-life vehicles, days after he announced the government’s plans to crack down on such vehicles.

The direction came at a high-level review meeting to finalise a comprehensive Environment Action Plan (2025-26), which will include a series of technology-based, high-impact interventions aimed at curbing air pollution and controlling dust emissions, officials said.

“The minister directed the immediate installation of ANPR cameras, which will automatically capture incoming vehicle numbers, cross-check them against the VAHAN database, and identify whether the vehicle is legally permitted to enter,” said the Delhi government in a statement on Friday, adding vehicle registration details will automatically be verified by the cameras and if found to be overage, an alert message will be played through an LED display system.

“LED screens at border points will also flash vehicle numbers and simultaneously trigger “wrong entry” alert SMS and WhatsApp messages to the owner,” the statement added.

HT on Thursday reported the government’s plans to install such cameras and extract data from the Centre’s VAHAN database to identify end-of-life vehicles entering the Capital from across the country.

“We want to target pollution at its very originating point,” Sirsa said on Friday. On the new measures, he said, “This is more than enforcement—this is about protecting the health of our people. Through data, automation, and inter-state communication, we are creating a pollution shield around Delhi.” he said.

Proactive alerts will also be sent to vehicles approaching the end-of-life threshold, with reminder messages to improve compliance, an official, part of the meeting said, stating the transport department has been directed to prepare a 12-month SMS notification calendar for sustained interstate outreach.

The minister also reviewed timelines and targets across key areas, including vehicular pollution control, air quality improvement, mass tree plantation, solid and C&D waste management, and the deployment of water sprinkler trucks and anti-smog guns starting June 1, officials said.