A day after The Pioneer reported on the collapsing traffic management system due to illegal encroachment at the Anand Vihar junction, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi along with Environment Minister Gopal Rai, and senior officials visited the area on Sunday to take stock of the situation. After visiting Anand Vihar, Atishi said one of the biggest contributors to pollution in the Anand Vihar area is the influx of buses from other states. The CM added that the Delhi government will engage with the Uttar Pradesh government to implement anti-pollution measures at their bus depot near the national capital. The CM inspected pollution control measures at the Anand Vihar bus depot along with Environment Minister Gopal Rai.
The Pioneer raised the issue of deteriorating traffic congestion in Anand Vihar and its surrounding roads due to unregulated buses, auto rickshaws, private vehicles and a large number of encroachment here.
Due to heavy traffic congestion, the area is now considered one of the busiest areas in Delhi since it lies on the city’s border, close to the bustling metropolis of Ghaziabad and Noida, and millions throng here each day. Anand Vihar is a major transit hub connected with Railway, Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) and Metro network and is always abuzz with lakhs of commuters using various modes of transport.
Highlighting the issue, Atishi said, "Anand Vihar, which lies on the Delhi-UP border, remains a hotspot where AQI levels are the highest. This area sees a large influx of buses from outside Delhi, and there is also the Kaushambi bus depot nearby. While Delhi runs CNG and electric buses, the Kaushambi bus depot receives diesel buses. We plan to engage with the UP government to implement pollution control measures there as well.
Constructions by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) and Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) has also contributed to pollution levels in the area, she said, adding the Delhi government is utilising all available resources, including 99 teams for dust control and over 315 smog guns, to mitigate the issue.
“Smog guns are operating constantly in this area, and the roads are being kept wet to control dust.
All roads have been repaired, and congestion points have been cleared to ease traffic flow," Atishi said. She also addressed the issue of pollution in the Yamuna, accusing the Haryana and UP governments of releasing untreated effluent into the river.
“During the Chhath festival, they shut their Agra Canal, diverting their untreated waste towards Delhi.
However, we remain solution-oriented. That is why we are using food-based silicone defoamers, and the Delhi Jal Board is conducting a defoaming drive to tackle the problem. Even if others try to disrupt our efforts, we will continue working towards a cleaner Yamuna," she said.
Environment Minister Gopal Rai pointed out that air quality fluctuates significantly late at night and early in the morning, coinciding with the arrival and departure of buses.
"The AQI is especially bad at these times, and the major reason appears to be the presence of two depots – one at Anand Vihar in Delhi and the other at Kaushambi in UP.
While buses in Delhi are now running on CNG and electric, a large number of diesel buses from UP still operate at these depots. The smoke from these buses is impacting the air quality," he said.
Rai urged the UP government to adopt similar pollution control measures, saying a coordinated approach is required to yield positive results.
Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva stated that the severe air and water pollution in Delhi is a consequence of the immaturity, negligence, and blind loyalty of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, current Chief Minister Atishi Marlena, and Environment Minister Gopal Rai toward the Punjab government.“AAP leaders, having been inactive for ten years are now panicking ahead of the elections due to the double blow of pollution. As a result, they are resorting to misleading statements, ignoring Delhi’s geographical realities,” he claimed.
