NEW DELHI: Amid persistently high pollution levels in the capital, the Delhi government is planning changes to the vehicle emission certification regime, traffic management systems and road dust control measures, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference, Sirsa said the Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) system will be overhauled to improve enforcement and reduce irregularities in emission testing. “A third-party monitoring system will be brought in,” he added.
Separately, the minister said the government will appoint a third-party agency to monitor potholes across the city.
The agency will carry out year-long surveys, travel across Delhi, identify potholes, photograph them and submit the data to authorities. Sirsa said a tender has been issued for this purpose, adding that the measure is aimed at improving road conditions and reducing dust-related pollution.
The government is also working on developing a car-pooling application to reduce the number of private vehicles on Delhi’s roads. Sirsa said the app is intended to encourage ride-sharing among commuters as a way to cut vehicular emissions, which remain a major source of pollution in the city. No launch date was specified.
To address dust and solid waste, the Delhi government will provide Rs 2,700 crore over the next 10 years to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi for procuring mechanical road sweepers, water sprinklers and litter-picking machines. Sirsa said dust pollution continues to significantly impact air quality, particularly during dry periods.
The government is also coordinating with the Delhi Traffic Police to introduce an integrated traffic management system. Under the proposed system, traffic signal timings would be adjusted based on congestion levels rather than fixed intervals.
Sirsa said static signal cycles often worsen traffic jams, leading to higher emissions from idling vehicles.
In addition, the government is in discussions with Google Maps to identify vehicular pollution hotspots across the city. The minister said the number of identified hotspots has increased from 13 earlier to 62, and the aim is to monitor at least 100 locations to enable targeted interventions.
Third-party agency to monitor potholes in city
Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Wednesday said the government will appoint a third-party agency to monitor potholes across the city. The agency will carry out year-long surveys, travel across the city, identify potholes, photograph them and submit the data to authorities.