Rai conducts surprise inspection of Sarai Kale Khan bus depot

New Delhi: In a proactive move to curb pollution, Delhi’s Environment minister Gopal Rai conducted a surprise inspection of the Sarai Kale Khan bus depot on Friday to verify adherence to the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-IV) rules.

Rai focused on diesel buses arriving from NCR states, ensuring their compliance with the stringent environmental norms.

Rai expressed satisfaction with the GRAP-IV compliance within the Sarai Kale Khan depot, noting, “At present, there are about 271 buses in Sarai Kale Khan depot, and most of them are following the GRAP-4 rules.”

However, he highlighted a concern about private buses outside the depot engaging in illegal parking and violating GRAP-IV regulations. In response, the Transport Department has been directed to conduct a special campaign against such illegal parking, with a focus on bus depots throughout Delhi.

With pollution levels remaining in the very poor category due to low wind speed, Rai emphasised the need for field-level enforcement. “Yesterday, we directed all the concerned officers after a review meeting to get into the field to ensure strict compliance with GRAP-4 rules,” stated Rai.

The minister underscored the role of vehicles in current pollution levels and clarified the measures being taken, saying, “All buses in Delhi are running on CNG. More than 900 electric buses are also running in Delhi. From November 1, only electric, CNG, and BS-VI buses can come into Delhi. Strict action will be taken against any buses which do not comply with the rules.”

In addition to the surprise inspection at the bus depot, Rai visited the RRTS project site at Sarai Kale Khan. Following the inspection, he commended the adherence to rules at the RRTS site while instructing officials to address minor violations promptly. Rai’s visit aimed to tackle environmental issues and ensure the strict implementation of measures outlined under GRAP-IV.