Vehicle ban ‘scary proposition’, say experts - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Vehicle ban ‘scary proposition’, say experts

Hindustan Times, Gurugram | ByPrayag Arora-Desai, Gurugram
Nov 15, 2018 12:54 PM IST

At the moment, the only mass transit options available in the city include 23 Gurugaman buses, the DMRC Metro that doesn’t go beyond Huda City Centre, the Rapid Metro, and another 50-odd buses run by Haryana Roadways.

The chairman of the Supreme Court-mandated Environmental Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) on Wednesday wrote to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), asking it to consider a blanket ban on all private non-CNG vehicles during severe pollution in Delhi-NCR. Experts said the idea was “impractical” and a “scary proposition” for Gurugram, which lacks a robust public transport system.

Experts said the idea of a blanket ban on all private non-CNG vehicles was “impractical” and a “scary proposition” for Gurugram, which lacks a robust public transport system.(Yogendra Kumar/HT File)
Experts said the idea of a blanket ban on all private non-CNG vehicles was “impractical” and a “scary proposition” for Gurugram, which lacks a robust public transport system.(Yogendra Kumar/HT File)

“Mass public transport in Gurugram is almost absent, and a large chunk of the population relies on private vehicles,” transport expert Sewa Ram, who is currently undertaking a comprehensive mobility survey of the city, said. “While hard measures to curb pollution are certainly required, the district administration will have to chalk up a holistic plan in order to make it work,” he said. This would include taking steps like closing schools, engaging private CNG buses from schools and corporates to ferry commuters, and staggering economic activities.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

At the moment, the only mass transit options available in the city include 23 Gurugaman buses, the DMRC Metro that doesn’t go beyond Huda City Centre, the Rapid Metro, and another 50-odd buses run by Haryana Roadways. “These options are limited in their connectivity and not enough to meet the mobility needs of the population,” Sewa Ram said. The Metros provide connectivity only in certain areas, while the Gurugaman and Haryana Roadways buses cover only select routes. “Besides these, there are about 22,000 autos in the city which service about one lakh commuters every day,” an RTA official said. The estimated population of Gurugram, according to Census 2011, is over 1.5 million and experts estimate that the number has more than doubled since.

Citing this discrepancy between supply and demand, Sarika Panda Bhatt, a Gurugram-based transport expert, instead advocated for a vehicle quota system like China’s, and said that restrictions and fines should be imposed on the use of private vehicles. “A blanket ban is a scary proposition and will be virtually impossible to implement,” she warned.

However, there is little doubt among experts that the move would help mitigate the pollution crisis. In August 2016, a two-day auto strike brought down air pollution in Gurugram by at least 30%. “The impact of banning private vehicles would be bigger,” a member of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board said. In a letter, EPCA chairman Bhure Lal stated that vehicular emissions contribute about 30% of the pollution load in NCR cities. Lal’s letter, however, also suggested that, alternatively, the odd-even rule might be applied to private vehicles.

Residents, though, are not happy about either option. Pankaj Murti, a resident of Sushant Lok, said that any ban on private vehicles would disrupt his commute. “There are no autos available easily around my house, and a ban on cars would mean chaos,” he said. Rajdeep Grover, a resident of Sector 30 who travels from his home to Huda City Center each day, said, “It is very expensive to take an auto every day. What if they impose a ban and autos start charging even more money?”

Lal, in Wednesday’s letter, wrote, “I am also aware that any restriction on plying of private vehicles without adequate public transport creates huge inconvenience to people. It is for this reason that the EPCA has, for many years, stressed the need for augmentation of public transport, not just in Delhi but in the NCR as well.”

SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Friday, March 22, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On