Following the implementation of anti-pollution measures under the Graded Response Action Plan’s stage-III, enforcement agencies were seen in action across the city inspecting and monitoring vehicles over pollution norms and the violations with regard to the anti pollution plan.
At several important junctions and places near the city’s borders, teams of the traffic police and the Transport Department were seen busy intercepting vehicles and restraining them from plying on the road under the GRAP- III, including BS-3 Petrol and BS-4 diesel vehicles.
According to Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai, a total of 84 teams from the Transport Department and 280 teams from the Delhi Traffic Police have been deployed to enforce the ban on vehicles mentioned in the GRAP stage- III of the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
The minister said, “To reduce pollution caused by vehicular emissions, the movement of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles (4-wheelers) has been banned. Additionally, Delhi-registered diesel medium goods vehicles (MGVs) of BS-III standard or below will not be allowed to operate within Delhi.”
According to the Delhi government, “BS-III and below diesel light commercial vehicles (LCVs) registered outside Delhi will not be permitted to enter the city.”
The minister said only vehicles carrying essential goods and providing essential services are exempted, and only electric buses, CNG buses, and BS-VI diesel buses from the NCR will be allowed to enter interstate terminals, while any violations of these rules will result in a fine of Rs 20,000.
Talking to the newspaper, a man who commutes from Noida to Delhi for work daily by his car, a BS- 4 diesel, said that as long as the GRAP-III restrictions are in force, he would be using the Metro or his two-wheeler to commute to Delhi.
Meanwhile, several cars were seen parked on the pavements of the road for checks for the pollution norms.