Transport officials of Delhi, UP and Haryana to meet

In a bid to chalk out a comprehensive plan to implement the National Green Tribunal's order banning more than 10-year old diesel-run vehicles in Delhi-NCR, officials of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi have called a meeting to discuss future course of action.
Delhi government, citing staff crunch, has also asked the Centre and Delhi Police to help in implementing the green court's order.
"Most trucks from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh pass through Delhi. We have got to know from experts that during day period, pollution level is normal as most vehicles are CNG-run plying in city, but at night, it significantly increases as entry point for trucks of other states are open," Transport minister Gopal Rai said here.

He said that he has called a meeting with the transport department officials of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to remove all hurdles in implementing the NGT's order.
Besides this, there is another problem which is absense of U-turn at border points in city. When trucks entering the Capital from other states are stopped at border points inside the city, officials have to face problems in sending them back as there is no U-turn, the minister said.
"We have called a meeting with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on Monday where we would discuss several issues pertaining to strict implementation of the NGT's order," Rai said.

Sources in the transport department, however, said that a decision to construct several U-turns may be taken in next few days so that vehicles entering Delhi from other states, which are more than 10 years old, could be sent back by the officials.

"We have also sought the Centre's help to implement the court order as there may be a need for an amendment in the existing law. Apart from this, we have also written to traffic police.
"At present, we have 166 staff in enforcement section, which is inadequate," Rai said.
An official of the transport department said that the department cannot implement NGT's order on its own.

""Six to seven teams are deployed at different parts of the city every day and night. We are already facing staff crunch as there are 600 posts vacant lying for a long time. We cannot implement the green court's order alone," said a senior official requesting annonymity.
The deparment's officials said that there are 1,18,776 diesel-run private vehicles and 34,659 commercial vehicles which are more than 10-year-old.
"Traffic police looks after the traffic management of the city. Transport department will also deploy teams at 11 entry points with limited resources but traffic police should also be roped in to strongly implement this order," the official added.