Question : Pollution due to Commercial Vehicles

(a) the details of the initiatives taken/proposed to be taken to check ambient air quality degradation due to heavy commercial diesel vehicles in the entire Taj Trapezium Zone particularly in Agra and Fatehpur Sikri;
(b) whether the Government is aware that non Agra-bound heavy commercial diesel vehicles, passing through Yamuna Kinara Road in Agra city, causes air pollution thereby adversely affecting the UNESCO monuments, namely, Agra Fort and the Taj Mahal;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government has considered any proposal to stop the entry of non-Agra bound heavy commercial diesel vehicles on the Yamuna Kinara Road and Mahatma Gandhi Road in Agra on the lines of Delhi; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)


(a) Details of initiatives taken by Transport Department to check ambient air quality degradation includes: (i) No re-registration of 15 year or older vehicles in Agra; (ii) Registration of new vehicle having BS VI or above vehicle pollution norms from April 2021; (iii) Conversion of 100% city’s public transport system into CNG; (iv) Prohibiting the entry of vehicles in radius of 550 meters from Taj Mahal except the citizens residing within 500 meters having duly authorised annual passes verified by local police; (v) Phase wise cancellation of registration of 15 year old vehicle and phasing out the vehicles registered up to April 2004; and (vi) Restricting the age of buses plying within city for local transportation to 10 years.

(b) and (c) Government is well aware of fact that heavy vehicles, which are non-destined to Agra pass through the city and all the possible steps for stopping air pollution from such vehicles are being taken.

Heavy commercial traffic is allowed to pass through Agra City from 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM. At present, the traffic from Gwalior to Jaipur and Mathura passes through the Inner Ring Road and these vehicles do not enter the Agra City.

(d) and (e) Traffic Police and Transport Department ensure that the heavy commercial loaded vehicles do not pass through Agra city without checking the Pollution Under Control certificate. Traffic Police and Home Guards are posted at different crossings to ensure the compliance of ‘No Entry’ restriction time, i.e., between 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM. The violation of entry restriction time is penalized by Challan.
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