Curbs on BS-III petrol, BS-IV diesel vehicles in Gurugram, Faridabad till Jan 7

Chandigarh, December 23

Haryana Transport Commissioner Yashendra Singh today announced restrictions on the plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel light motor vehicles (LMVs) in Gurugram and Faridabad districts with immediate effect.

The restrictions will remain in place till January 7, 2024, or the revocation of Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) Stage-III by the Commission on Air Quality Management (CAQM), whichever is earlier, he stated.

However, vehicles deployed in emergency services, police vehicles and government vehicles used for enforcement have been exempted.

According to the order of the Transport Commissioner, if any BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheeler is found plying in these two districts, the violators shall be prosecuted under Section 194 (1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The order has been issued in view of the deteriorating air quality in the NCR and the CAQM’s review in this regard.

The commission’s sub-committee invoked all actions as envisaged under the Stage-III of the GRAP ‘severe’ air quality, in addition to all the actions under Stage-I and Stage-II of the GRAP with immediate effect on Friday.

“Keeping in view the prevailing trend of air quality and in an effort to prevent its further deterioration, the sub-committee decided that all actions as envisaged under the Stage-III of the GRAP –‘severe’ air quality be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned in the NCR,” said the commission’s order dated December 22.

‘Severe’ AQI causes health problems

• The air quality index (AQI) in the range of 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’ and 201-300 ‘poor’.
• The AQI readings between 301 and 400 implies very poor air quality and prolonged exposure can cause respiratory illness.
• The AQI in the range of 401-500 falls in the ‘severe’ category seriously impacts those with existing diseases and even cause problems for healthy individuals.