Supreme Court Approves Increase in Environment Compensation Charges for Delhi Commercial Vehicles

The Supreme Court approved the Commission for Air Quality Management's proposal to increase Environment Compensation Charges (ECC) for commercial vehicles entering Delhi, effective April 1, 2026 or 2027. The hike aims to discourage heavy goods carriers from using Delhi as a transit route and promote use of the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways. The court noted that unchanged ECC rates since 2015 reduced the cost difference with expressway tolls, contributing to congestion and pollution. The increase is intended to restore the charge's deterrent effect.