Ludhiana: Relief for travellers as Volvo bus service to Delhi airport resumes

The service, which had been suspended earlier due to stringent air quality measures, has now been restored after the Supreme Court approved easing of restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan

In a major relief to travellers, Punjab Roadways has resumed its BS-IV Volvo bus service to Delhi airport from December 6, following a significant improvement in air quality in the National Capital Region (NCR). The service, which had been suspended earlier due to stringent air quality measures, has now been restored after the Supreme Court approved easing of restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

The resumption of the service has provided relief to passengers. (HT Photo)

The bus service, which provides direct connection from Punjab to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, had been put on hold as part of the response to Delhi’s “severe” air quality. However, the air quality index (AQI) of Delhi recently dropped to a “moderate” level of 165, below the Stage-II threshold of 300. This shift in air quality, along with predictions from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), which forecast that the AQI will remain in the “poor” category in the coming days, prompted the Supreme Court to approve the easing of some GRAP measures.

The resumption of the service provides much-needed relief to passengers who had been left without convenient transportation options during the past few weeks.

Navraj Batish, general manager of Punjab Roadways, confirmed the service’s return, saying, “With Punjab Roadways’ premium Volvo service back on track, travellers can now access direct connectivity to the Delhi airport. The management has resumed services after the Supreme Court revised the ban on BS-III and BS-IV vehicles entering Delhi.”

The relaxation in restrictions has been welcomed by commuters, with many expressing their relief. Amandeep Singh, a frequent traveler to Delhi airport, said, “For the past two weeks, I was struggling to plan Delh trip. This service is one of the most comfortable and convenient modes of transportation to the capital, and I’m happy to see it back.” A group of travellers also echoed similar views.

Although some restrictions have been eased, stricter measures are still in place for certain vehicle categories. Under GRAP’s Stage-I and Stage-II, vehicles meeting BS-I and BS-II emission standards are still banned from entering Delhi in an effort to curb pollution levels and prevent any further deterioration in air quality.

Earlier, in response to a severe AQI in November, the Delhi government had enforced strict measures under GRAP, which included banning BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles. Medium and light goods vehicles from neighboring states that did not meet the required emissions standards were also restricted. Violators of these rules faced hefty fines of up to ₹20,000 under the Motor Vehicles Act.