Noida to push for EV use to curb vehicle emissions under Grap-4

On the enforcement front, industries and commercial establishments have been directed to retrofit their diesel generator (DG) sets to operate on a 70% gas and 30% diesel mix within seven days

NOIDA: With the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap) Stage-4 restrictions in force, the Noida authority has decided to take multiple measures including electric mobility, expansion of EV infrastructure, and reduction in daily vehicular movement.

The Authority will also suspend the operation of open tandoors, open food parks and chimneys until pollution levels return to permissible limits. (HT Archive)

The Authority’s plan is focused on accelerating a shift to electric and hybrid mobility, expanding EV infrastructure and cutting down daily vehicular movement, particularly in high-footfall IT and institutional zones, officials said on Tuesday in a statement.

“We plan all vehicles will be converted to electric vehicles, while the sanitation fleet—one of the largest public fleets operating daily across residential and commercial areas—will be shifted to EV, CNG or Bharat Stage-6 compliant models,” said Noida authority’s CEO Lokesh M.

To further reduce emissions from private commuting, IT companies and universities have been advised to implement work-from-home arrangements until Grap-3 and Grap-4 restrictions are lifted.

“The aim is to lower the number of vehicles entering IT parks and education hubs during peak hours. Educational institutions have also been asked to switch to hybrid or fully online classes, while large events on school and university campuses have been postponed for one to two months. Students, particularly at the university level, have been urged to rely on public transport instead of private two-wheelers,” said Lokesh M.

Parallelly, the Authority is fast-tracking the rollout of EV charging and battery swapping infrastructure to support wider adoption of electric mobility. In the first phase, 81 new EV charging stations will be set up within three months.

Also a battery swapping network is being developed to support electric two-wheelers and commercial vehicles.

Thirteen battery swapping stations are planned across the city by March 2025.

On the enforcement front, industries and commercial establishments have been directed to retrofit their diesel generator (DG) sets to operate on a 70% gas and 30% diesel mix within seven days. High-polluting industrial units are being identified for priority inspections, and mandatory compliance checks will be carried out.

“The State Pollution Control Board will coordinate with the district administration to monitor implementation and initiate action against violators,” said another official aware of the development.

The Authority will also suspend the operation of open tandoors, open food parks and chimneys until pollution levels return to permissible limits.

“The measures are part of a broader strategy focused on reducing emissions at source, limiting unnecessary vehicle movement and creating infrastructure that supports a long-term transition to cleaner mobility,” said CEO, adding that the progress will be reviewed periodically, and additional steps may be taken based on air quality trends.