Air quality panel signs MoU to reduce dust pollution in Delhi, nearby areas
In a step towards reducing the dust pollution from roads in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, according to a statement.
Poor road maintenance and road dust, composed of dust from unpaved roads, generate large amounts of suspended particulate matter. It is an acute problem and poses health risks if inhaled. Transforming urban roads through scientific design, sustainable greening, and modern technologies is one of the key long-term solutions for lessening dust pollution from roads and improving air quality in the region.
Under the MoU, CSIR-CRRI and SPA will provide institutional support and technical guidance to the Project Monitoring Cell (PMC) being set up at CAQM. CRRI and SPA will help CAQM through guidance in setting up the PMC, suggesting suitable manpower requirements for the same, and guiding the hired resources in monitoring the development and redevelopment of roads on the Standard Framework. A dedicated dashboard will also be created to ensure data-driven tracking and monitoring of specific road projects.
Taking a step in this direction to reduce the dust pollution, in the first phase, the Commission in due consultations with NCR state governments and GNCTD (Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi), has taken up nine highly urbanized and industrialized cities of NCR—Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, Sonipat, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi and Neemrana.
The tripartite MoU aims to facilitate the establishment and operationalisation of a project monitoring cell at CAQM by CSIR-CRRI and SPA. The PMC will oversee and support the phased implementation of the framework in NCR states to effectively develop roads aligned with its broad elements.
The standard framework encompasses cross-section design for different types of roads and widths of right-of-way (ROW), mitigation of road dust within the right-of-way through greening measures, a web-GIS-based Road Asset Management System (RAMS) for an effective road maintenance regime, and the adoption of new technologies in road construction and maintenance.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
From July 1, some vehicles in Delhi won't get fuel at petrol pumps
From July 1, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years will not be able to refuel in Delhi, even if registered in other Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced the new regulation on Friday to help combat air pollution in the CHANGING? The CAQM had earlier instructed fuel stations to stop selling fuel to end-of-life (EOL) vehicles from July 1. These rules apply to all EOL vehicles, not just those registered in Delhi. 'People often register their vehicles outside Delhi to avoid these rules, but this will now be discouraged,' said Virendra Sharma, a technical member of has installed Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at 500 out of 520 fuel stations. The rest will be ready by June 30. These cameras will scan vehicle number plates to check their age through the VAHAN database. If the vehicle is too old, an alert will be sent to the control room and enforcement HAPPENS IF AN OLD VEHICLE IS DETECTED?If caught, the vehicle may be impounded or sent for scrapping under the Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility (RVSF) Rules. Fuel stations are required to deny fuel to such vehicles. Officials warn that any station ignoring the rule will face legal JUST DELHI: NCR CITIES NEXTFrom November 1, the same system will be introduced in five high-traffic NCR cities: Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonipat. All fuel stations in these cities must install ANPR cameras by October 31. The rest of NCR has until March 31, 2026, with fuel bans starting from April 1, THIS MOVE?Delhi has around 62 lakh old vehicles, including 41 lakh two-wheelers. Across the NCR, the total is around 44 lakh. These older vehicles are a major source of air pollution. Despite earlier orders by the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal, the removal of old vehicles has been very enforce this, 100 teams made up of traffic police and transport officials have been deployed. They will use road surveillance and smart traffic systems to track down violators. This strict rule is one of the biggest steps taken in Delhi-NCR to fight air pollution caused by ageing inputs from PTI
Hindustan Times
9 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Delhi to enforce fuel ban on ELVs using high-tech cams from July 1
In a major crackdown on polluting vehicles, Delhi will stop selling fuel to end of life vehicles (ELVs) from July 1 and to enforce this, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed at all 520 fuel stations across the city, linked directly to the central VAHAN database to screen vehicles in real time, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) announced on Friday. Virinder Sharma addresses a press conference on Friday on the scanning and checking of registration numbers of vehicles arriving at petrol pumps via the ANPR system. (ANI) 'All pumps are now covered. The trial run has been on since December, and we're ready to go live,' said Virinder Sharma, technical member of CAQM. As a vehicle pulls into a fuel station, the ANPR system scans its number plate and instantly checks it against the central VAHAN database for registration details, fuel type, and age. If the vehicle exceeds the permissible limit—10 years for diesel and 15 years for petrol—it is flagged as an ELV. 'Once identified, an announcement will be made at the station, and the staff will inform the driver that fuel cannot be provided,' Sharma said. The rule will initially apply to Delhi from July 1 and to five high-traffic NCR cities—Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, and Sonepat—from November 1. Other NCR cities will follow in phases. ELV bans were first mandated by the National Green Tribunal in 2015 and reinforced by the Supreme Court in 2018, but full-scale enforcement had lagged. 'For such enforcement we realised that technology-driven realtime intervention was needed, which will now be used. The transport department started installing cameras in December 2024 and simultaneously testing of the system has also been done,' Sharma said. During the seven-month trial, 36.3 million vehicles were screened, 490,000 ELVs were flagged, and 44,000 impounded. The same system also caught vehicles with expired pollution certificates—over 2.95 million PUCs were renewed during this period. From July, 100 flying squads will support enforcement. Petrol stations flouting the rules may face action under the Motor Vehicles Act. However, the petrol pump association has written to the transport department objecting to fuel stations being penalised for violations. 'We are committed to cooperating with the roll-out of the new rules. However, we have concerns about the penal provisions linked to implementation issues, which we believe are unfair. We've written to the transport department requesting time for further discussions,' said Nishchal Singhania, president of the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association. The ban applies to all ELVs—Delhi-registered or not. Delhi alone has 6.2 million ELVs, including 4.1 million two-wheelers. Another 4.4 million are registered across NCR cities. 'The aim is to curb toxic emissions before the winter smog season,' Sharma said. He said in terms of emitting particulate matter (PM), BS4 vehicles have been found to be 4.5 times more polluting and BS3 vehicles are 11 times more polluting than BS6 vehicles. Also, BS3 vehicles cause six times more NOX than BS6 vehicles. To widen surveillance, ANPR cameras are also being installed at all 126 entry points to Delhi, said transport officials.
The Print
13 hours ago
- The Print
Cameras at Delhi pumps detect 4.9 lakh ‘overaged' vehicles, 25 lakh without PUCC
Following directions from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), 500 out of 520 fuel stations in Delhi have installed Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. Of the total, 4.9 lakh were overage or end-of-life (EOL) vehicles — diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years — which are highly polluting. New Delhi, Jun 20 (PTI) Around 30 lakh out of 3.6 crore vehicles checked through a new system installed at fuel stations in Delhi were found without valid Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC), leading to fines worth Rs 168 crore, officials said on Friday. These cameras will help stop the sale of fuel to overage vehicles from July 1 by detecting them. Once identified, the system will alert the command centre and enforcement teams from the traffic and transport departments, who may then take action, including impounding the vehicles. 'The installation of cameras began in December. Since then, 3.6 crore vehicles have been screened. Among them, 4.9 lakh were EOL vehicles, and 25.92 lakh were running without valid PUCCs. This led to fines worth Rs 168 crore,' Virinder Sharma, Member (Technical), CAQM, said. The system will be extended to five high-vehicle-density districts near Delhi – Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar and Sonipat – starting November 1. Camera installation in these areas will be completed by October 31. CAQM officials made it clear that the rule applies to all EOL vehicles, regardless of where they are registered in India. 'Our directions do not say that only vehicles registered in Delhi will be denied fuel. Vehicles from outside Delhi-NCR also operate here and add to pollution. Some Delhi residents are registering vehicles in other states to avoid rules, and this must be discouraged,' Sharma said. He added that EOL buses from any part of India will also be tracked through this system. Separate guidelines will be issued to limit their movement in Delhi-NCR. To support enforcement, 100 teams made up of traffic and transport officials have been formed. Fuel stations found breaking the rules will face strict action under the law, Sharma said. CAQM stated that Delhi alone has 62 lakh EOL vehicles, including 41 lakh two-wheelers. The total number of EOL vehicles in the entire NCR is around 44 lakh, with most located in the five high-density districts mentioned earlier. The ANPR system is connected to the national VAHAN database, which helps identify overage vehicles and also those without valid pollution certificates. Fuel stations are required to refuse fuel to such vehicles from the dates specified. PTI GVS VN VN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
