Junk the polluter
In a serious bid to counter charges of being the main vehicular polluter in the Capital, the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) has decided to junk buses that cannot meet pollution norms after repairs. Minister of state for surface transport Jagdish Tytler said in Parliament that Rs 10 crore had been allotted for bus replacements.
DTC has also decided to terminate contracts with the 575 private vehicles operating under its licence for the same reason. Says DTC senior public relations manager Swatantra Chopra, "It is now upto the state transport authority to check these buses."
Of DTC's 3,500-strong fleet, 10 per cent are reserved as replacements for vehicles under maintenance and repairs. "Before taking to the road, each bus is checked for pollution," explains Chopra, "and withdrawn for repairs if it does not meet prescribed emission standards."