National Green Tribunal slams police over defunct cars parked on roads

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal on Monday took the Delhi police and government agencies to task for not removing defunct vehicles parked on roads here and asked them to strictly implement the ban on vehicles that are more than 15-year-old.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar asked the municipal corporations to initiate joint action plan to ensure that all such vehicles are lifted so that no traffic congestion is caused.

“People have parked their vehicles on public roads. Have you lifted a single vehicle which is parked on the road. We can’t appreciate that none of the municipal corporations and DDA has lifted a single vehicle. These vehicles are only standing on their rims, have no tyres or engines and being parked on public roads or at public places,” the bench, which also includes Justice U.D. Salvi, said.

The panel also directed the Delhi government, DDA, police and municipal corporations to hold meeting and identify other sites which are to be provided in other places to ensure parking of impounded vehicles.

The directions came during the hearing of a petition filed by Vardhaman Kaushik over worsening air quality in Delhi.

Earlier, the DDA was asked to provide space to Delhi Transport Corporation and Delhi traffic police for parking of deregistered diesel vehicles, including the impounded ones.

The NGT had asked the Delhi government to take immediate steps to improve and strengthen public transport system and introduce buses which are CNG, hybrid or electric ones.