Ahead of winter, Delhi reaches out to cops from NCR cities to tackle vehicular pollution

Diversion of trucks at borders, deployment of traffic personnel at congestion-prone stretches, restriction of entry of non-compliant interstate buses, intensified traffic management at NCR borders — these are among the key measures being carried out by the Delhi government in coordination with police officers from nearby NCR districts to tackle vehicular pollution ahead of winter.

The measures were discussed at a virtual meeting chaired by Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Sunday along with senior traffic police and officers from Noida, Faridabad, Gurugram, Sonipat and Bahadurgarh. Delhi Police Special Commissioner (Traffic) and the Delhi Transport Commissioner also attended the meeting to review preparations for tackling air pollution during the winter season.

Enforcement of Pollution Under Control (PUC) norms will also be tightened, officials said. Polluting vehicles will be stopped, with action including impounding and maximum permissible penalties, wherever applicable. Further, officials said that the government will also enforce directions on diverting trucks not destined for Delhi through the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.

Restrictions on overage diesel and petrol vehicles, as prescribed under applicable orders of the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court, will be implemented. Inter-city and interstate buses entering Delhi-NCR will have to comply with applicable fuel and emission standards, officials said.

Buses running on fuels other than electricity, compressed natural gas (CNG) or BS-VI-compliant diesel will not be permitted to ply in the region, in accordance with applicable directions. To inform motorists and transport operators about the curbs, the Transport Department and other agencies will put up banners and display boards at border checkpoints.

Awareness campaigns will also be conducted through print, electronic and social media to encourage the use of public transport. Officials also said that the Delhi Traffic Police informed the meeting that more than 10,000 challans related to traffic and pollution violations are being issued daily on average as part of its ongoing enforcement drive.

The government will also intensify water sprinkling, mechanical road sweeping and dust suppression measures across the city, officials said. Additional district-level enforcement teams will be deployed as further restrictions under the Winter Action Plan and Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) come into force, they added.