'Red Light on Gaadi Off' launched at 100 key intersections

New Delhi: The Delhi government kickstarted its month-long 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign across 100 key intersections in the Capital on Monday to reduce vehicular emissions, with CM Arvind Kejriwal exhorting people to "contribute" to the fight against pollution by turning off their vehicle engines at red lights.

"This will save fuel and also help reduce pollution. We all Delhiites will together reduce pollution in Delhi," Kejriwal tweeted. Environment Minister Gopal Rai visited the ITO crossing on Monday morning and handed roses to commuters, and appealed to the people to turn off their car's engines at red signals as well as extend their support to make this fight against pollution a success.

Vehicular emissions and dust are significant contributors to air pollution of any city, the minister said.

"Data by the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) shows that if people follow the exercise of switching off engines at traffic signals, pollution can be cut down by 13-20 per cent," Rai said. "This is a public campaign. We all will have to fight together to beat pollution. I appeal to the public to follow the campaign," he added.

Rai said pollution levels were within safe limits in September but the spike since then from stubble burning in neighbouring states. However, he said that since they cannot do much about this, they must do everything they can to reduce local sources of pollution.

The 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign will continue for a month till November 18. As many as 2,500 civil defence volunteers will be deployed in two shifts of 8 am to 2 pm and 2 pm to 8 pm across 100 traffic junctions in the city for the campaign.