NEW DELHI: With the air quality deteriorating, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has instructed the governments of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh to incorporate electric vehicles, CNG, and BS-VI diesel buses for transportation to Delhi by November 1, 2023. This will be applicable for city and interstate buses plying to the Delhi- NCR region.
The Centre had set up the CAQM in 2021 in the NCR and adjoining areas. For the entire Haryana, the target is to implement clean bus services between all cities and Delhi-NCR, with effect from November 1, 2023. The same deadline applies to Alwar in Rajasthan and NCR cities in UP, including Ghaziabad, Noida, Ambedkar Nagar and Moradabad.
All clean bus services from non-NCR areas of Rajasthan to Delhi will be implemented from January 1, 2024, and for UP, the target is shifted to April 1, 2024. By July 1, 2024, all buses in the entire NCR are also expected to be EVs, CNG, and BS-VI diesel buses. The CAQM has formulated action plans along with state governments to replace and relocate older BS-III and BSIV diesel-operated buses in a phased manner and also plans to procure new BS-VI diesel buses during 2023-24.
According to the action plan, Haryana has to procure 1,313 new BS-VI diesel buses, Rajasthan 590, besides outsourcing services for 440, and UP 1,650. The three state governments have informed the CAQM that the procurement of CNG buses and EVs, as per their respective EV policies, is underway. The Commission’s directions will also be applicable to all bus services being operated by respective state PSUs and private entities.
CAQM DIRECTIVE TO HARYANA, RAJ, UP
The Commission for Air Quality Management has directed the governments of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh to incorporate electric vehicles, CNG, and BS-VI diesel buses for transportation to Delhi and also called for strict compliance.