Delhi to check NCR air during next odd-even

The Times of India , Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Correspondent : TNN
NEW DELHI: The Delhi government will monitor air quality across NCR in the next odd-even fortnight that starts on April 15. This is being done to compare changes in the pollution level, if any, during the period when traffic on Delhi's roads is expected to reduce substantially.

"We will set up monitoring stations in NCR so that we are able to draw comparisons between the air quality of Delhi and neighbouring areas during the two weeks of odd-even scheme. The environment department will keep an eye on the air quality on specific roads through mobile vans that will monitor pollution levels twice a day on such stretches," said transport minister Gopal Rai.

CPCB is already monitoring air pollution in NCR and the mobile vans will only add another set of figures to the existing database. The problem remains that there is still no 24-hour data available to assess the real impact of such an initiative.

The government will issue a fresh notification on the phase-II of the odd and even, most likely on April 8, which will identify the various exemptions to the scheme and the penalty for violating the order. The notification will be first ratified by the LG.

Rai said special attention would be given to Metro feeder buses this time and the existing routes will be rationalised. "The maximum range for each route will be restricted to 8-10 km. Last time, we found that not all stations had the feeder bus service. Rationalisation will help in redistribution of buses. The small CNG buses that will be registered with the government before the odd-even exercise will also be used as feeder buses. DMRC has been told to come up with a detailed plan on its feeder service," added Rai.

Delhi Metro has also been asked to increase frequency of trips. These had touched 3,192 trips during the last drive.

This time the government has decided to go ahead without school buses, which created a major problem in the first phase. Rai said there could a shortage of 300 buses but DTC was geared up to absorb this load. The transport department will be opening up registration for CNG contract carriage buses from March 28 to April 14 and these will be issued temporary permits for the the odd-even scheme. Rai said that 50% of seats in these buses will be reserved for women.

Instead of deploying SDMs for enforcement of the scheme, the government will rope in 400 ex-servicemen for this job. It will also hire 1,000 additional who will be deployed along major routes and intersections.

DTC has been asked to explore the possibility of running buses on special routes—from DhaulaKuan to Gurgaon, Nehru Place to Noida, etc.

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Delhi-to-check-NCR-air-during-next-odd-even/articleshow/51502827.cms
 


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