Supreme Court wants all taxis in NCR on CNG by 31st March
The way the taxi system functions, a significant chunk of them are either owned by cab-companies or major operators. Drivers ply them in shifts, paying the owner a rental for the shift or commission on their earnings. As a result, most taxis fall in the category of vehicles that are perennially on the road. Below par maintenance standards and lax enforcement also adds to their accelerated wear and tear. Consequently, their tail-pipe emissions tend to contribute significantly to the overall pollution levels. In a bid to cut down on this, the Honourable Supreme Court had ruled that all taxis in the National Capital Region (NCR) should be run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). The deadline had been set for 1st March, 2016.
The Court has now extended this deadline to the end of the month, setting 31st March as the revised cut-off date by which all taxis in the NCR must convert to CNG. While at it, the Supreme Court has also asked the authorities to set up over a 104 CNG dispensing stations across 10 districts in the NCR. The authorities have also been directed to set up dispensing stations in 10 districts across Uttar Pradesh & Haryana which form a part of the NCR. These directives have been set out, to ensure that the necessary infrastructure is in place to meet increased demand as more vehicles are converted to alternative fuels, such as CNG.
The Supreme Court bench has been keen on ensuring that the public transportation system which is switching to alternative fuels, should not be hampered by inadequate infrastructure. With the authorities declaring their willingness to meet up with the increased demand, the court had no complications in giving the said order.
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