Uttar Pradesh government stated that the ban on Diesel autorickshaws is aimed at curbing vehicular emissions, which are a major cause of air pollution in the Delhi-NCR region.
Delhi Air Quality update: In yet another major move to restrain pollution levels in the Delhi-NCR region, authorities have decided to impose a ban on Diesel-powered autorickshaws in Noida and Ghaziabad districts.
Why Diesel autos were banned?
In an official release, the Uttar Pradesh government stated that the ban on Diesel autorickshaws is aimed at curbing vehicular emissions, which are a major cause of air pollution, and will be enforced in a phased manner across the UP cluster of the National Capital Region (NCR).
As per the release, a blanket ban on Diesel autorickshaws will come into immediate effect in Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad districts, and these Diesel-powered vehicles will also phase out in Meerut, Hapur, Bulandshahr, Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts by December 31, 2025.
Notably, the Meerut Regional Transport Authority has already stopped issuing and renewing permits for the restricted vehicles, it said, adding that the principal secretary of the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department has been appointed as the nodal officer for coordinated implementation of the ban.
“A project monitoring unit (PMU) has also been set up at the state level under the environment department’s secretary, with senior officials from Urban Development, Public Works, Housing and Urban Planning, and Industrial and Infrastructure Development on board,” it said.
Anti-smog guns, sprinklers and mechanical sweeping systems have been deployed across Noida and Greater Noida to reduce roadside dust, officials said, adding the action plan is expected to significantly improve air quality in these areas.
CAQM announces revised GRAP measures
Meanwhile, amid worsening air quality in Delhi-NCR, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has revised the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), allowing stricter curbs to be imposed in lower stages to prevent further deterioration of air quality in the region.
Under the revised schedule which was finalized on November 21 after consultations with stakeholders, several pollution-control measures have been shifted from higher GRAP stages to lower ones, thus stricter restriction will now be invoked at lower alert levels.
