Ban on trucks, hiked parking rates rolled back

Move after air quality in Capital improved to ‘very poor’

As air quality in Delhi remained in the ‘very poor’ category for a third consecutive day on Thursday, strict emission-control measures enacted when the pollution level was at emergency level last week were rolled back.

The ban on the entry of trucks carrying non-essential goods into Delhi as well as the enhancement of parking charges by four times were reversed by Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal, a statement from Raj Niwas said.

Action plan

These were among the provisions of the Graded Response Action Plan that the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority had ordered when particulate matter levels remained in the severe+ or emergency level for over 48 hours as on noon November 9.

The Delhi Transport Department had issued an order to ban the entry of trucks into Delhi on November 9 till 11 p.m. on November 12. This was extended in view of fluctuating pollution levels. The department issued a notification withdrawing the ban on Thursday.

Similarly, the municipal corporations of Delhi, which are responsible for collecting parking fees, had hiked charges by up to four times. This was also withdrawn on Thursday, on orders of the L-G. Meanwhile, the air quality index in Delhi was in the ‘very poor’ category at 363 on Thursday.