Every winter, Delhi becomes a stark warning to the world. Children breathe air that would trigger emergency responses in any global city. Hospitals fill with respiratory cases. And we return to the same short-term playbook: Emergency orders, traffic restrictions, school closures and the ritual invocation of GRAP. These ad-hoc measures manage symptoms, not the disease.

Transport is the single largest controllable source of Delhi’s air pollution. Multiple scientific studies confirm that tailpipe emissions, congestion, and idling and ageing vehicles together account for 25–40 per cent of PM2.5. Yet instead of accelerating action, the city appears to be slowing down at precisely the moment when pollution peaks.

Delhi was once India’s fastest-growing EV market, but that leadership is slipping. In 2025, the city recorded no electric-auto registrations, compared to 1,426 e-autos in 2024. Electric two-wheeler registrations have also declined, with 35,909 so far in 2025, lower........

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