Supreme Court bans luxury diesel cars in Delhi

The ban on new diesel vehicle registration would last until March 31, according to local media reports.

One of the Industry person believes that banning registration may give some relief to auto makers with small diesel vehicles.

It also said that for the time being commercial vehicles that are not Delhi bound shall not be allowed to enter Delhi through National Highway 8 and NH 1. Charges for light vehicles and two-axle trucks amounted to Rs 700 while a cess of Rs 1,300 had to be paid for three and four-axle trucks entering Delhi.

The court has tightened the rules as it emphasised on enforcing the ban on burning of municipal waste in the capital besides ordering the construction sites to follow National green Tribunal(NGT) guidelines.

Dec 10: SC agrees to examine amicus curiae Harish Salve’s suggestions including banning entry of all diesel-run trucks, except those carrying essential goods, into Delhi. NGT has also asked the central and state government to stop buying diesel cars in Delhi.

The Supreme Court’s rulings were widely welcomed by environmentalists, who said strong action was required as the city was choking with dense smog, caused by winter fog and dirty air. Supreme Court Judge TS Thakur asked, in response to a petitioner’s plea.

Moreover, the Delhi government also proposed important measures which include vaccum cleaning of streets, odd-even formula, shut coal-based power plants, late night entry of heavy-loading vehicles, fix unpaved footpaths and many among others. “It is very embarrassing for us to tell him that this is the level of pollution in Delhi”, he said.

Cars and buses clogs a road in New Delhi.

Yet Indian Oil Corporation, India’s largest oil firm, said on Tuesday it was cutting the price of diesel by 46 paisa (cents) a litre and petrol by 50 paisa a litre with effect from midnight.

An inventory of about 12,000 diesel vehicles, valued at more than Rs 1,000 crore, is piled up at dealerships across Delhi since the December 11 NGT order.

The Court has also said that only CNG-run taxis will be allowed to ply in Delhi and NCR.