New Delhi, Sept. 2 -- The Delhi government has begun a fresh round of preparations ahead of the winter pollution season, combining a push for cleaner commercial vehicles with district-level hotspot mapping, tighter dust checks and continuous monitoring of industrial emissions.
As part of the Centre's Rs 9,585-crore Parivartan scheme, nearly 78,000 BS-III and BS-IV heavy vehicles registered in Delhi have been identified for a possible shift to BS-VI-compliant vehicles. Officials said the transition is voluntary at present and efforts are focused on persuading vehicle owners to make the switch.
"Teams are engaging directly with major truck operators and transporters. We are also covering petrol stations, parking locations and industrial areas, where many of these vehicles are regularly deployed," a senior government official said.
The official said the administration was seeking to build awareness rather than impose an immediate mandate. "The owners of nearly 78,000 BS-III and BS-IV heavy vehicles have been identified. For now, participation is voluntary, and our priority is to explain the benefits and encourage owners to move to cleaner vehicles," the official said.
Under the scheme, buyers of eligible new BS-VI diesel or CNG vehicles and electric vehicles can avail themselves of several incentives. These include exemption from motor vehicle tax and registration charges, five per cent interest subvention on loans and discounts of up to eight per cent from participating manufacturers. Owners of eligible BS-VI diesel and CNG vehicles can receive fuel vouchers worth Rs 1,200 to Rs 4,800 per month for five years, depending on the vehicle category. Electric commercial vehicles are eligible for one-time incentives of Rs 64,000 to Rs 2.56 lakh.
District administrations have also been tasked with preparing area-specific pollution plans. Teams headed by deputy commissioners and district magistrates will identify traffic and pollution hotspots and recommend local engineering interventions.
"Each district will assess its own problem areas, particularly locations facing recurring traffic congestion and pollution. The reports will help us determine what local interventions are required, and the districts have been asked to submit their recommendations by the end of September," the official said.
The government has meanwhile expanded construction and demolition waste collection infrastructure, increasing the number of designated sites from 106 to 125.
Its AI-enabled anti-pollution portal, launched in July, has also intensified dust surveillance, with cameras detecting around 2,000 locations where prescribed measures were not being followed.
On the industrial front, air-quality control equipment has been made mandatory for 80 categories of industries, while more than 90 units have been brought under compulsory Online Emission Monitoring System requirements.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.