Don’t ply diesel buses older than 5 years on Delhi route: Govt to states

It also urged the state governments to divert trucks through other routes before they reach Delhi borders to curb congestion which will also help check air pollution.

The Delhi government has written to Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan governments to direct their state transport corporations to not send diesel-run buses that are older than five years to the national Capital.

The letter said that enforcement teams in Delhi have been given a clear mandate to impound and scrap any such diesel vehicles found plying in the Capital (Raj K Raj/HT)

It also urged the state governments to divert trucks through other routes before they reach Delhi borders to curb congestion which will also help check air pollution.

The letter comes after the Supreme Court last week ordered the state government to take emergent steps in view of the hazardous levels of air pollution, and a directive by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) issued a slew of measures to curb pollution.

The government’s letter to the neighbouring states, a copy of which is with HT, said that public transport in the national Capital runs “100% on CNG”, but buses from other states largely continue to run on diesel. “NGT has already directed that diesel vehicles of more than 10 years of life will not be allowed to ply in NCR… I seek your support to strengthen our hands in dealing with the grave situation by minimising the deployment of diesel buses destined for Delhi. It would be appreciated if vehicles of more than five years vintage are not deployed on Delhi bound routes till such time the pollution abates,” said the letter by Delhi transport commissioner Ashish Kundra.

It said that enforcement teams in Delhi have been given a clear mandate to impound and scrap any such diesel vehicles found plying in the Capital. “All stage carriage buses are also required to carry a valid pollution under control (PUC) certificate as per provisions of Central Motor Vehicle Act. Enforcement authorities are issuing challans for any vehicles found without a valid PUC in Delhi, which will also be applicable to buses,” the letter said.

On re-routing trucks in advance, Kundra wrote: “May I request you to advise local district authorities to divert such trucks beyond the NCR limit itself to avoid congestion at the borders in Delhi and disruption in normal traffic.”

The Commission for Air Quality Monitoring (CAQM) on November 16 issued directions mandating the NCR and Delhi authorities to ensure that trucks carrying non-essential items should not be allowed to enter Delhi till November 21, or such further date as deemed necessary.

The Supreme Court in the matter of MC Mehta Vs UOI & Ors had earlier directed that the government of UP, Haryana and Rajasthan should provide large size billboards at the exit points towards the alternative highways to inform commercial traffic of diversions. The Supreme Court had also directed that the said governments will take steps to ensure that commercial traffic having destinations other than Delhi should use alternative routes.