Delhi To Ban Diesel Buses From Other States Starting November 1, As Air Quality Deteriorates
To combat pollution, several initiatives have been implemented. Industrial units in Delhi have transitioned from using polluting fuels to cleaner natural gas. Monitoring teams have been established to ensure compliance with this change and to check for any illegal use of harmful fuels. The "Red Light on, Gaadi off" campaign, which encourages motorists to turn off their engines at red signals, has also been introduced as a voluntary effort.
One significant step involves the banning of diesel buses from other states starting on November 1. These buses will be required to operate on alternative fuels within Delhi-NCR. Minister Rai has urged the central government to impose strict bans on buses using inferior-quality diesel, particularly those classified under the BS III and BS IV emissions standards, in the NCR regions of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
The Environment Minister conducted a surprise inspection at the Kashmiri Gate ISBT to monitor diesel buses arriving from NCR states as part of the government's efforts to combat vehicular pollution. The release from the minister's office emphasized that thorough checks would be carried out by the Transport Department at all entry points starting from November 1, and any non-compliant buses would face consequences.
Minister Gopal Rai pointed out that the pollution caused by vehicles is on the rise, despite all buses in Delhi being powered by CNG and the operation of over 800 electric buses. The presence of BS III and BS IV diesel buses from neighboring states like UP, Haryana, and Rajasthan has been identified as a major contributor to Delhi's worsening air quality. Consequently, the government has called for the central government to enforce a complete ban on such buses in the NCR areas. The Minister also emphasized that drivers of diesel buses from NCR states have been informed that only electric, CNG, and BS-VI compliant buses will be allowed entry into Delhi from November 1, with strict enforcement measures in place.