Banning All diesel and petrol-run taxis in the National Capital
Region (NCR), the Supreme Court of India(SCI)on Saturday April 30,2016 held that only CNG-fitted
private taxis, including those being operated by aggregators like Ola
and Uber, will be allowed to ply from Sunday May 01,2016
Holding a special hearing, SC Bench led by Chief Justice T S Thakur
declined to extend the April 30 deadline fixed for conversion of all
diesel and petrol-run taxis to CNG mode.
Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for some taxi owners,
contended that there is no technology for converting diesel vehicles
into CNG mode. “We will not be able to earn our livelihood. Moreover, we
have to repay the bank loans taken to buy these taxis too,” he said.
But the SC Bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri and R Banumathi,
turned down the plea for extension of deadline, pointing out that it had
already been extended three times since last year.
On December 16 ,2015, the deadline for conversion to CNG mode was
set as March 1. It was later extended to March 31,2016 and then to April
30,2016
“We are not going to extend the deadline any further,” said the
bench today.
In its December 16,2015 order, the court had observed that the move “will contribute substantially to reduction of pollution.”
The SC Bench today also extended its ban on fresh registrations of
diesel vehicles with engine capacity of 2000 cc and above in the NCR
till further orders. It said the issues relating to the continuing ban
on registration as well as imposing environment cess on new diesel
vehicles would be taken up on May 9.
The SC, however, allowed Delhi Police and Delhi Jal Board to
register their new diesel-run vehicles of 2000 cc and above for
transportation of undertrial prisoners, arms and ammunition and supply
of water.
It asked Delhi Police to pay 30 per cent of the cost of the
vehicle as Environment Compensation Charge (ECC). The Delhi Jal Board
was exempted from the green cess on the ground that it ferries water
tankers to people.
Commuters Face Problems as Diesel-Run Taxis Goes Off Delhi Roads
Commuters faced inconvenience on Sunday May 01,2016 as nearly 27,000 diesel-run
taxis stayed off the after the Supreme Court on Saturday April 30,2016 refused to
extend the April 30,2016 deadline fixed for their conversion into CNG mode.
According to transport department, about 60,000 taxis are registered
in the national capital and of them 27,000 are running on diesel. Around
2,000 diesel-run taxis had converted into CNG mode in the last two
months.
The SC order is not applicable on cabs having All India Permits but
on most of the diesel cabs ply on local routes. This will essentially
bring down the availability of cabs in the capital.
Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai has directed the enforcement wing
of the transport department to launch a crackdown against diesel-run
cabs plying on locals routes in Delhi.
"As per rule, taxis having All India permit are required to cover a
distance of around 200 km. Taxis having all India permits cannot ply
from one point to other point inside Delhi," a government official said.
