CM discusses steps to reduce air pollution with transporters

Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday directed the transport department to examine and submit its preliminary report by next week on the proposal of a transporters association to reduce air pollution in the national Capital and decongest it.

In a meeting with the Chief Minister and Transport Minister Gopal Rai, also attended by top state government officials, the Delhi Transporters Association proposed the setting-up of Integrated Freight Complexes in the peripheral areas of the city to reduce air pollution and congestion in the inner areas. “They shared the government’s view about the deteriorating air quality in Delhi and the neighbouring National Capital Region,” said Transporters Association.

The department of transport asked the transporters to make optimum use of existing facilities for them at Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar and in Punjabi Bagh. “The repercussions of the National Green Tribunal order banning diesel vehicles, which are more than 10 years-old were also discussed in the meeting,” a senior officer said. In their presentation, the transporters stated that they are willing to contribute towards making the national Capital free of congestion, traffic jams and encroachment along with reduction in air pollution. They stated that one of the options can be to move out whole sale trade and all types of godowns and booking activities from the inner areas of the city to its periphery to reduce heavy vehicular traffic from entering the city.