Email :Lack of Signages - Yamuna Expressway Authorities

On Monday, March 12, 2018 at 9:52:59 PM UTC+5:30, Sanjeev wrote:

Sir, 

While heading towards Vrindavan from Yamuna Expressway at exit 7A there is a small board in feable ink indicating exit for Vrindavan. This is a holy place where lakhs of people visit every month from Delhi and there is complete lack of signages? There are high chances that vehicle running at 100KM speed to miss this small board.

You are requested to direct concessionaire Jay Pee Infrateck to place appropriate signages well in advance for this exit. 

Please acknowledge.

Regards

S K Goyal

 

NGT planning to link Parking Fees to Air Quality Index !!

Upon the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT’s) order, the city banned the registration of diesel-engine-powered vehicles (for some time) and introduced an additional sales tax on diesel vehicles at the time of registration. Both the measures are applicable for newer vehicles only. The NGT also introduced an additional environmental tax for heavy-duty trucks entering the city; this does not include vehicles registered in Delhi and not crossing the border. The city also experimented with the odd-even concept (twice, for two weeks each time, with a number of exemptions) – which in turn is very dependent on a vigilant traffic police to be completely successful.

These measures were introduced and tested for one reason: to discourage the use of personal transport. However, one measure that could be applicable for old/new vehicles, petrol/diesel/gas engines and all engine sizes is the parking fee. Delhi has the lowest parking fees (often Rs 10-20 per hour) in the world. What if, the parking fees were increased tenfold – especially during the days of high air pollution? Take the malls, for example: every car parked there has to go through a toll booth and, without excuse, has to pay.

A fee-structure can be displayed outside the malls’ parking lots with that days’ air quality index (AQI). If the AQI is under 50 (green – very rare in Delhi), then parking is free. And as the AQI climbs, so does the fee. If the value is 500, then parking rate could just as well be Rs 500 per hour. Consider it a charge for spending time in the air-conditioned mall! Similarly, for those parking illegally, the towing fees should be increased further.

Read the full article - what it means to taking the long view on air pollution in Delhi

Emergency Measures to Combat Air Pollution in Delhi

Officials in the Indian capital shut down schools, halted construction activity and closed a coal-fired power plant temporarily as alarm bells were sounded about the deadly haze of air pollution that has shrouded the city this past week. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced Sunday schools will be shut for three days, all construction halted for five days and a power plant will be closed for ten days. He said roads will be doused with water to settle dust that is a huge contributor to the city’s toxic air.

Read the full article @ Voice of America

Well, a similar plan was proposed last year (December, 2015)

Delhi Transport Corporation introducing Electric buses to fight Pollution

The prospect of significantly lower operational expenses has the Delhi Transport Corporation veering towards the idea of replacing at least a part of its CNG fleet with electric buses.

Four months after the agency loaned one such bus from a Chinese company on a trial basis, an internal DTC report has concluded that its overall cost of operation is much lower than a CNG-run bus due to "very low maintenance/repair cost". Zero emission and lower manpower requirement are two other features that have impressed DTC.


The operational cost of the electric bus was found to be Rs 17.25/km. In contrast, a CNG AC bus costs DTC Rs 18.54 per km. A senior government official said, "On average, the electric bus ran 250km on a single charge." It consumed 27,368 units in the four-month period, which comes to an average unit rate of Rs 10.66 for the 16,915km it covered.




The price of CNG in the capital currently stands at Rs 35.59/kg. A CNG bus gives a mileage of 1.95km/kg and also requires higher maintenance. "The low-floor buses are under an annual maintenance contract with the manufacturer. The corporation pays Rs 3.5-12 a km. The rate increases every year," said the official quoted above.


The bus didn't report any breakdown during the trial, largely because there's no engine or transmission system. Only the battery needs maintenance.

The DTC, of course, will need to invest a hefty amount to begin with, as one bus will cost more than Rs 2 crore. But the official said: "The buses, when available commercially, will cost approximately the same their CNG counterparts. They will basically be assembled in India." A CNG bus costs around Rs 70-80 lakh. Interestingly, under a central scheme, the purchase of electric bus is subsidised.

@TimesOfIndia