LG lifts ban on construction; says trucks to enter city post midnight

The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung has announced to lift the ban imposed on construction activities due to high pollution in the city in the second half of October. 

After the first review meeting on implementation of measures to control air pollution in the city, LG declared that over 90 per cent non destined trucks were returned from the borders of Delhi. The LG announced review meetings every ten days on pollution and directed that the trucks entering the city would be allowed only after midnight. 

“The decision to stop all construction and demolition activities in Delhi has been withdrawn in view of joblessness among daily wage construction workers,” said a press statement from LG Secretariat. 

The orders were issued on November 7, to ban all construction activities in the city due to high air pollution which had made the air unbreathable. According to the compliance report, MCDs issued 1,118 challans; Delhi Pollution Control Committee issued 289 and Delhi traffic police registered 29 cases. North MCD has suspended a Junior Engineer for wrongful reportage of the construction activities in his area. The district authorities of the Delhi government had issued 115 challans and collected fines to the tune of Rs 42.9 lakh. In total, the government agencies collected Rs 1.5 crore from violators. 

On de-registration of 15-year-old vehicles, transport department has de-registered 763 vehicles older than 15 years and 1,795 challans were issued. 

“LG directed DDA to rent space to Delhi traffic police to park 15-year-old vehicles impounded by them,” said a spokesperson of the Delhi government. 

The LG has also directed the transport department to submit a comprehensive proposal in the next meeting to scrap the impounded vehicles. 

“2,625 non-destined trucks were returned from Delhi border in a week which is 90 percent of the total non-destined vehicles passing through the city,” added the spokesperson. In addition to that, Delhi traffic police challaned 3,033 visibly polluting vehicles and vehicles not carrying PUC certificates.