Environment2 min
Delhi Traffic Police check 7,279 vehicles in one day under GRAP curbs
With 714 vehicles turned back and 38 impounded on November 1, Delhi's border checks show what pollution rules mean for everyday drivers.
Delhi Traffic Police checked 7,279 vehicles on November 1 under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), the city's winter pollution rulebook. Officers turned back 714 vehicles and impounded 38. Only ten were issued challans, according to the force's figures for midnight to 8 pm.
The numbers point to a clear approach: stop vehicles that should not be on the road, and send them away, rather than simply fine them. For commuters and transporters, that can mean a wasted trip and a delayed delivery.
Police also met officials from neighbouring districts on Sunday to make the rules work at the borders. Delhi's air does not stop at the state line, so enforcement cannot either.
The force is also spreading the word. It has used print, social media and radio, put up information boards at Delhi's borders and handed out pamphlets, so drivers know the restrictions before they arrive.
This follows an October 25 virtual meeting led by Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa with traffic police from Noida, Faridabad, Gurugram, Sonipat and Bahadurgarh. They discussed easing jams near the borders, catching polluting vehicles and keeping buses that miss emission norms out of the city. Police said over 10,000 challans a day are being issued for traffic and pollution violations.
Other plans include action against overage petrol and diesel vehicles and diverting trucks not headed for Delhi onto the Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways. Buses in Delhi-NCR must run on electricity, CNG or BS-VI diesel. More mechanical road sweeping, water sprinkling and extra enforcement teams are also promised as curbs tighten.
The Commission for Air Quality Management invoked Stage 1 of GRAP across Delhi-NCR on October 21 after air quality worsened. For residents, the takeaway is simple: check the rules before you drive, especially if your vehicle is old or crosses a border.
Source: NewKerala
