Delhi Air Quality Crackdown: Heavy Fines Imposed

Delhi Traffic Police imposed over Rs one crore in fines, targeting BS III petrol and BS IV diesel vehicles and vehicles without Pollution Under Control Certificates. The enforcement comes under GRAP III to combat severe air pollution. Violations resulted in substantial penalties and vehicle turnbacks.

The Delhi Traffic Police launched a significant enforcement action, issuing around 550 challans and accumulating fines over Rs one crore on the first day of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) III implementation. The crackdown targeted BS III petrol and BS IV diesel vehicles, which were banned in response to the city's dire air quality situation.

Beyond this, authorities penalized 4,855 vehicles for lacking Pollution Under Control Certificates (PUCC), resulting in total fines exceeding Rs 4.8 crore. Violators face hefty fines, with motorists without PUC certificates being fined Rs 10,000, while the penalty for using restricted vehicles is Rs 20,000.

The initiative reflects a broader effort by the Delhi government to combat severe air pollution, which includes barring specific vehicles and construction activities, alongside altering government office hours. The measures were executed swiftly, complementing plans set by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to address the severe pollution levels.

(With inputs from agencies.)