Supreme Court Bans entry of Heavy Vehicles in Delhi

Automobile manufacturers Mahindra & Mahindra, Mercedes and Toyota had on Monday moved the apex court seeking the modification of its December 16 order.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld an earlier ruling that temporarily banned the sale of large diesel cars in New Delhi to combat air pollution in the national capital.

The court, which will again hear the matter on January 20, also did not spare the central government and asked it about its plans and willingness to phase out 5-10 year old diesel vehicles.

Meanwhile, the bench extended restriction of entry of trucks on NH-2, NH10, NH58 and State Highway 57 which are not bound to Delhi.

The judges today disagreed, but asked the manufacturers to furnish documentary evidence to prove their claim.

To this, the Bench said, “Which class of people are using 2000 CC vehicles?” Enquiries in Delhi have dropped since the ban came into force.

Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi and Aryama Sundaram submitted that the pollution caused by diesel vehicles of 2000 cc was only 0.2 per cent when compared to vehicles of 1000 cc or more.

The apex court by its December 16 order had said that the traffic from Kundli border on N.H.-1 and Rajokri on N.H.-8, would be diverted to bypass Delhi.

“We will first have to assess the question if diesel cars should be allowed at all. Are you trying to say that diesel vehicles are non-polluting and only petrol vehicles are polluting”, the bench asked senior advocates, representing the automobile majors.

The SC had, however, exempted new commercial light duty diesel vehicles saying that they can continue being registered in Delhi on account of the public’s dependence on such vehicles for the supply of essential items. CJI Thakur asked. The top court asked Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar to get the government’s views on this score.

It has extended deadline for conversion of cabs in NCR into CNG till 31st March 2016.

The Supreme Court has directed the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation to look into the possibility of providing this premium service.