Trucks entering city red-flagged, MCD data under scanner

Terming “unreliable” the <g data-gr-id="34">MCD’s</g> data for calculating pollution load from trucks in Delhi, an NGO on Tuesday claimed that the actual figure of such vehicles daily entering the national capital was 70 <g data-gr-id="35">per cent</g> more than the civic body’s estimate.

Warning that this can lead to gross underestimation of the “enormous” pollution load from trucks and weaken action in this regard, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) also alleged that these trucks were running on outdated technology, spewing “more smoke” to leave Delhi choked.

A new study by the NGO, which has challenged the <g data-gr-id="36">MCD’s</g> data, found that most of these trucks entering into the city from nine points pass through Delhi to avoid higher toll charges on other routes.

On a daily basis, some 38,588 commercial vehicles (excluding taxis) enter Delhi only from the said nine locations, the study reported.

If that is extrapolated to the 127 entry points into Delhi, then a total of 52,146 commercial vehicles (excluding taxis) enter the national capital, the study, which measured vehicles in both directions, said.

The daily average number of light and heavy goods vehicles entering and exiting from the nine points was 85,799, it said.

The total number of commercial light and heavy trucks entering and leaving the city is 1,15,945 each day, the report added.

“The MCD estimate of the number of trucks crossing Delhi borders is grossly underestimated and is unreliable for calculating pollution load from trucks,” the study said.

According to MCD data, an average of 22,628 commercial vehicles, excluding taxis, enters Delhi each day from nine entry points as against the 38,588 commercial vehicles counted in the CSE survey, which is almost 16,000 vehicles less.