<p>New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) told the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/supreme-court">Supreme Court</a> on Wednesday that vehicular pollution is the highest contributor to air pollution in Delhi-NCR and recommended 15 long-term measures to improve the worsening Air Quality Index (AQI).</p><p>Appearing for CAQM, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi that a meta-analysis of studies from 2015 to 2025 attributes PM2.5 in Delhi to a mix of primary emissions and secondary particulate formation from sources within the National Capital Region (NCR).</p>.Illegal mining can lead to irreversible damage: Supreme Court bats for expert committee on Aravallis.<p>The CAQM recommended the following measures to be introduced in a phased manner:</p><p>1. Time-bound phasing out of polluting vehicles from Delhi-NCR based on emission potential.</p><p>2. Strengthening of PUC 2.0 and monitoring of on-road vehicles with remote sensing devices.</p><p>3. Augmenting Regional Rail Transport and Metro Rail network with more lines and stations in Delhi and NCR.</p><p>4. Developing Multi-Modal Transport hubs connecting Metro, Regional Rapid Transit System.</p><p>5. Ensuring last-mile connectivity along with a real-time passenger information system with location-based tracking of public transport.</p><p>6. Reviewing and revising respective electric vehicle policies to accelerate the transition of all vehicles to zero tailpipe emission vehicles in Delhi-NCR. Giving higher incentives to owners for scrapping their old vehicles.</p><p>7. Expanding EV charging infrastructure including swappable battery stations expeditiously commensurate with vehicle growth.</p><p>8. Permitting retrofitting of vehicles to EV certification by ARAI/ICAT.</p><p>9. Augmenting city public bus service through E-buses/ CNG according to model yardsticks and service level benchmark of Ministry of Housing and Urban Administration (MoHUA) based on population.</p><p>10. Developing a plan for CNG/ LNG fuelling network in NCR and on highways to shift long-haul trucking and other commercial vehicles to gas.</p><p>11. Installing ANPR cameras and automated RFID ensuring Multi-Lane Free Flow enabled Toll/ Cess collection at all border entry points of Delhi.</p><p>12. Deploying integrated traffic management system in Delhi and other major urban agglomerates, particularly Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonipat for smooth and improved traffic movement.</p><p>13. Implementing parking area management plans in Delhi and NCR.</p><p>14. Imposing higher environmental protection charges.</p><p>15. Intensifying enforcement through technology-based solutions such as automatic number plate recognition, radio frequency identification, remote sensing techniques, AI-driven surveillance etc.</p>
<p>New Delhi: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) told the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/supreme-court">Supreme Court</a> on Wednesday that vehicular pollution is the highest contributor to air pollution in Delhi-NCR and recommended 15 long-term measures to improve the worsening Air Quality Index (AQI).</p><p>Appearing for CAQM, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati told a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi that a meta-analysis of studies from 2015 to 2025 attributes PM2.5 in Delhi to a mix of primary emissions and secondary particulate formation from sources within the National Capital Region (NCR).</p>.Illegal mining can lead to irreversible damage: Supreme Court bats for expert committee on Aravallis.<p>The CAQM recommended the following measures to be introduced in a phased manner:</p><p>1. Time-bound phasing out of polluting vehicles from Delhi-NCR based on emission potential.</p><p>2. Strengthening of PUC 2.0 and monitoring of on-road vehicles with remote sensing devices.</p><p>3. Augmenting Regional Rail Transport and Metro Rail network with more lines and stations in Delhi and NCR.</p><p>4. Developing Multi-Modal Transport hubs connecting Metro, Regional Rapid Transit System.</p><p>5. Ensuring last-mile connectivity along with a real-time passenger information system with location-based tracking of public transport.</p><p>6. Reviewing and revising respective electric vehicle policies to accelerate the transition of all vehicles to zero tailpipe emission vehicles in Delhi-NCR. Giving higher incentives to owners for scrapping their old vehicles.</p><p>7. Expanding EV charging infrastructure including swappable battery stations expeditiously commensurate with vehicle growth.</p><p>8. Permitting retrofitting of vehicles to EV certification by ARAI/ICAT.</p><p>9. Augmenting city public bus service through E-buses/ CNG according to model yardsticks and service level benchmark of Ministry of Housing and Urban Administration (MoHUA) based on population.</p><p>10. Developing a plan for CNG/ LNG fuelling network in NCR and on highways to shift long-haul trucking and other commercial vehicles to gas.</p><p>11. Installing ANPR cameras and automated RFID ensuring Multi-Lane Free Flow enabled Toll/ Cess collection at all border entry points of Delhi.</p><p>12. Deploying integrated traffic management system in Delhi and other major urban agglomerates, particularly Noida, Greater Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Gurugram, Faridabad and Sonipat for smooth and improved traffic movement.</p><p>13. Implementing parking area management plans in Delhi and NCR.</p><p>14. Imposing higher environmental protection charges.</p><p>15. Intensifying enforcement through technology-based solutions such as automatic number plate recognition, radio frequency identification, remote sensing techniques, AI-driven surveillance etc.</p>