CAQM reiterates Oct 31 deadline for NCR to phase out pre-BS 6 buses
Sharing data, CAQM said the transition is being facilitated with each state already in the process of procuring new buses
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday reiterated its October 31 deadline for National Capital Region (NCR) states to phase out older buses running below the BS-VI benchmark. It stated that from November 1 onwards, only electric, CNG-run and BS-VI buses will be allowed to ply within the NCR districts or to and from Delhi.
CAQM had issued an advisory to the states of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan on July 19 this year. It had set a short-term deadline of October 31 to complete the switch, a medium-term deadline of June 2026 to make the bus fleet only electric and CNG, and to make a large chunk of these buses solely electric by June, 2028.
The body on Friday said that it issued fresh directions, dated October 19, sticking to the November 1 deadline, which was announced after due assurances were given by the three states.
“After comprehensively assessing the plans for procurement of new BS-VI diesel, CNG buses, or electric vehicles (EVs) by the respective NCR states and the exercise conducted by them for relocation of older diesel buses (BS-IV and below) to areas other than NCR, with due confirmation from the NCR states on the feasibility, CAQM has issued direction number 78, dated October 19, which has directed the state governments of Haryana, Rajasthan and UP for strict implementation of the targeted timelines in respect of inter-city and inter-state bus services serving Delhi and other cities or towns in NCR,” the CAQM order said on Friday.
The order directed Haryana to ensure all bus services between any city or town in Haryana and Delhi should be operated only through EV, CNG or BS-VI diesel buses from November 1. It also directed Rajasthan to similarly ensure any buses running between any NCR city or town to Delhi, or other parts of NCR should operate on CNG, BS-VI and electric. It further gave the state a deadline of January 1, 2024 to complete this transition for the non-NCR areas of Rajasthan to Delhi.
In its directions for UP, CAQM asked buses plying between any of UP’s NCR city or town to Delhi and back to be run on CNG, EV and BS-VI from November 1 onwards and within NCR’s eight districts on BS-VI from January 1, 2024 onwards.
Further, it asked UP to ensure that no bus type lower than BS-VI should ply in the non-NCR states of UP or to Delhi from July 1 next year.
Sharing data, CAQM said the transition is being facilitated with each state already in the process of procuring new buses, compliant with these directions.
“As per the action plans formulated by the state governments of Haryana, Rajasthan and UP, the states are aiming to relocate and replace the older BS-III and BS-IV diesel operated buses in a phased manner and plan to procure new BS-VI diesel buses during 2023-24,” CAQM said. It added that the procurement included 1,313 new BS-VI diesel buses by Haryana, 590 new BS-VI diesel buses by Rajasthan (besides outsourcing the services of an additional 440 BS-VI diesel buses), and over 1,650 new BS-VI diesel buses will be added in Uttar Pradesh.
Amit Bhatt, managing director (India), International Council on Clean Transportation, said this transition to a clean fuel source was welcome. However, the shift towards electric buses needed to be fast-tracked.
“If we look at Delhi’s situation 20 years back, when it was asked to induct CNG buses, this technology did not exist in India at the time, but was brought in, and production began within months. Fast forward to now, we already have EV infrastructure and electric buses are available. Instead of buying CNG or BS-VI buses, we should straight away buy electric buses now,” said Bhatt. BS-VI, although cleaner than BS-III and BS-IV, still had a combustion source and will release emissions into the atmosphere, he added.
“The three states should ideally begin transitioning to electric now and any future procurements should be electric and not BS-VI, similar to what Delhi is doing.”
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