NEW DELHI: Given the life-threatening level of air pollution in Delhi-NCR, civil society organisations and environment activists urged Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to provide a “clean air concession” to riders during the severe air pollution period in Delhi-NCR.
The concession will encourage daily commuters to choose affordable option of public transport during periods of severe pollution to commute to the workplace after the government imposed GRAP-III measures, which restrict outside activities, including the closure of schools and others.
A civil society collective, Public Transport Forum Delhi, and non-profit Greenpeace have called on the DMRC to implement a ‘‘Clean Air Concession” because of higher public transport costs compared to personal vehicle costs.
The demand for giving metro concessions is aimed at reducing dependency on private vehicles and encouraging citizens to opt for the Delhi Metro.
Recently, the Delhi-based environmental think tank Centre for Science and Environment assessed comparative transportation costs in Delhi-NCR.
According to the study, the personal car commuting cost comes to Rs 35/km whereas public bus costs Rs 40/km and metro costs Rs 47/km. The lifeline of India’s billion-dollar Gig economy vehicle two-wheeler costs Rs 16/km. Such a high rate of commuting hit lower-income social groups harder than others. The study says about 50% of daily commuters by public transport end up spending about 18% of their annual income.
The air quality has reached alarming levels, with AQI often crossing into hazardous categories. Studies suggest that transport emissions are one of the major contributors to the air pollution crisis. Private vehicles contribute to 51.5% of Delhi’s locally generated emissions, exacerbating the PM2.5 and NO2 levels.