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NGT bans diesel vehicles over 10 years old in Delhi

'If checks regular, ban not needed'

NEW DELHI: In an order that could improve Delhi's deteriorating air quality, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed plea challenging the National Green Tribunal's order prohibiting diesel vehicles that are over 10 years old from plying in the national capital."Let us assist and not discourage them ( NGT )," the SC bench said while dismissing the petition.The NGT had on April 8 ordered that all 10-year-old diesel vehicles and 15-year-old petrol ones be taken off the roads in the National Capital Region.The order, which was an upgrade of a previous one from December 2014 banning all vehicles older than 15 years from Delhi roads, had covered light and heavy vehicles as well.The order is expected to impact 1,18,773 private vehicles and 34,659 commercial vehicles in the city. Besides, more than 5 lakh vehicles enter Delhi every day of which around 50,000-75,000 are trucks and about 2,500 are state transport buses. All these run on diesel and are likely to run into trouble.However, implementation of the order is easier said than done. While environmentalists welcomed the move, the government may find it difficult to meet the 20-hour deadline. Various transport experts have recommended weighbridges and PUC centres at entry points but nothing has happened. What is also of concern is the absence of space for vehicles to turn around. "Even basic facilities for checking papers are missing at checkpoints. And where is the space for vehicles that are stopped from entering the city to turn around? Unless a proper mechanism is evolved, we will only see more traffic jams at the borders which may prove to be counter-productive," said sources. But those who have welcomed the ban say it will become impossible to battle the growing air pollution problem in Delhi unless some strict measures are taken.