Amid the implementation of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage IV, the Delhi Police has issued about 10,000 challans for non-possession of Pollution Under Control (PUC) on vehicular owners and about 1,000 non-destined trucks have been diverted in two days in a bid to ensure strict action on the roads against those flouting measures to keep the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national Capital from worsening.

On November 15, the Delhi traffic Police department issued a total of 4,852 challans against violators for non possession of PUCs while on November 15, these numbers were 4,474. These violations were highest in the Western range on both dates including a total of 1,235 and 1,024 on November 15 and 17 respectively.

For End of Life Vehicles, which creates more pollution on the roads, the department also imposed 138 and 155 challans on November 15 and 17 respectively. No vehicle which is older than 15 years is allowed to operate on Delhi roads, according to orders issued by the National Green Tribunal (2015) and the Supreme Court (2018). For diesel vehicles, this time period is 10 years.

A day before, according to the Centre’s Decision Support System for Air Quality Management, vehicles contributed 15.8 per cent of Delhi’s air pollution. In light of the rising air pollution, Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Ajay Chaudhary said that the traffic department is ensuring that tough measures are implemented on the roads in light of GRAP-IV.

The police also diverted 423 non-destined trucks on November 15 while the numbers were higher for November 17 as 545 such trucks were diverted in Delhi. In adherence to the measures, the police also imposed challans on 514 Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) (BS III petrol and BS IV diesel) on November 15. The numbers rose about 100 per cent on November 17 as 1,130 such LMVs were issued challans.

Addl/CP (Traffic) Satyaveer Singh Katara added that the police will continue its drive and ensure that violations are reduced. “We are doing the best we can to take strict actions against violators and help to ensure that these do not make the aqi better in the national Capital. We are continuously carrying drives and deploying extra personnels to manage traffic.”

The police also booked four vehicles for carrying uncovered construction and waste material on November 15 while it issued five challans on November 17. It also decongested 14 traffic points on November 15.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Shashank Jaiswal shared, “We are doing our best including motorcycling patrolling and deployment of cranes to remove vehicles amid the rising air quality index.”