NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday rapped the Delhi Police for not procuring vehicles compliant with the BS-VI norms, as the police urged the court to allow it to register BS-IV compliant vehicles. The apex court said it “cannot have the Delhi Police issuing challans to people for not driving BS-VI norm vehicles, but having its own fleet non-compliant of these norms.”
Questioning Delhi Police on its failure to procure vehicles compliant with BS-VI norms, a bench of Justice Arun Mishra and Justice Deepak Gupta said: “BS-VI vehicles are readily available in the market, and they go around the city. Though they are a bit expensive, but the emission from these vehicles is very less. Why didn’t you buy these vehicles.”
Delhi Police requires over 200 diesel vehicles for use in districts for its smooth functioning, which includes water cannons, trucks, troop carriers, water tankers, minibuses, riot control vehicles, cranes, prison vans etc. All these vehicles are BS-IV complaint and have an engine capacity of 2,000 cc or more and run on diesel.
Delhi Police informed the apex court that these vehicles were meant for utility services, which were urgently required. “Modify the ban order December 12, 2015, further extended to March 31, 2016 by allowing the registration of the vehicles procured by Delhi Police... and direct the office of the registering authority to grant registration heavy vehicles having engine capacity of 2,000 cc and above as applied for Delhi Police,” contended the police counsel. The court asked Delhi Police to review its stance on the procurement of these vehicles.
Police: Diesel vehicles needed for work
Delhi Police says it requires over 200 diesel vehicles for use in districts for its smooth functioning, including water cannons, trucks, troop carriers, water tankers, and riot control vehicles.