Diesel-run City Buses Barred from Plying in Ghaziabad

The Ghaziabad regional transport officer has banned plying of diesel-run buses that have permits to run in Ghaziabad. The direction means that such buses will not be able to operate on city roads till they switch to CNG fuel.

The move comes after a meeting held by the regional transport authority (RTA) last year, in which it directed the transport department to give operators six months to convert their buses to being CNG-run.

The RTA meeting was held following an order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). There it was decided to give six months to such bus operators to switch to CNG.

The six-month period is over. Some operators are yet to convert to CNG. RTA directed for stoppage of operations of such buses and told the enforcement department to seize such buses if found plying on city roads.

According to officials, a total of 298 buses have permits to operate in the city. However, 57 of them are yet to convert to CNG. A majority of these buses have permits to run on several routes in Ghaziabad.

The NGT order came in response to a petition by Kaushambi apartment residents’ welfare association (Karwa) before NGT in August 2015 in which the issue of operation of diesel-run city buses was taken up.

“We had brought it to the notice of the tribunal that operation of such buses is a major contributing factor of pollution. Then, we also filed a contempt petition and RTA gave its directions. The bus operators also moved an intervention application and tried to obtain a stay on the RTA order. However, the tribunal has so far declined to take up their petition,” said the president of Karwa.

This move has also endorsed the plans of making Ghaziabad into a Smart City. The city is already implementing a robust development model and racing towards becoming one of the most developed cities of Uttar Pradesh. Not only public utility infrastructure by the government, but other residential and commercial projects by private builders have also been contributing to the growth of the city.

Wave City is one such Hi-Tech project on NH-24 that comes under the administration of GDA, which has already implemented the CNG Bus system in its 4500-acre premises. Wave City Express Bus Service was started in the city to make the intra-city travel convenient for the residents. Huge green area along with rainwater harvesting system and organic waste converter at Wave City does not only make it a Hi-Tech one, but eco-friendly too.

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