The Delhi Government has pitched for the early construction of peripheral expressways (Western and Eastern) to reduce the number of heavy vehicles and cars from entering into the national Capital.
In the meeting convened by the NCR Planning Board to devise ways and means to counter air pollution level, the Delhi Government urged the Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu to fasttrack the construction of these two expressways.
The Delhi Government made it clear that the third phase of odd-even scheme will only happen in the city with prior adequate preparations and awareness to the people.
The Delhi Government has cited functional difficulties such as man-power, issuing of notifications, stationing enforcement teams and traffic issues for implementing Odd-even scheme in the light of the apex court’s judgment. The SC had directed the Delhi Government to implement odd-even scheme in the city in the event of high air pollution.
PWD Minister Satyendra Jain, who attended the NCR Planning Board meeting, said the construction works of two expressways (eastern peripheral expressway and western peripheral expressway) should be speeded up as the projects are going at a very slow pace.
The Delhi Government has also requested the Centre to construct Eastern and Western peripheral expressways at the earliest so that non-destined vehicles do not enter the city. The Minister pointed out that work on Eastern and Western expressway by DDA, which has been underway for the last 15 years, needs to be expedited.
The Government has also made it clear that the third phase of odd-even scheme will only happen in the city with prior adequate preparations and awareness to the people as Transport Minister Satyendar Jain conveyed it in the NCR Planning Board meeting chaired by Naidu. Jain has asked the Centre to give the city administration sufficient time before asking it to implement the next round of car-rationing scheme as part of anti-pollution emergency measures.
The main focus of the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) meeting was on the rising pollution level in the city.