New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) The Delhi government will overhaul the Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) system with third-party monitoring, develop a car-pooling app to reduce vehicular congestion and
provide Rs 2,700 crore over 10 years to the MCD for procuring mechanical road sweepers and litter pickers, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference, Sirsa said the government is also working on developing a car-pooling application to encourage Delhiites to share rides and reduce the number of private vehicles on roads.
"We are trying to bring a car-pooling app that is easy for people to download and use," he said.
The minister said the government has decided to hire a third-party agency to monitor potholes throughout the city.
Under the proposed system, the agency will conduct year-long surveys, travel across Delhi, identify potholes, click photographs and submit data to the authorities. A tender has been issued by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for this purpose, he said.
The minister also announced that the government is working with the traffic police to develop an integrated traffic management system.
"Currently, it happens that even if there is a long jam, the traffic light will remain red for a certain period. This aggravates jams. We are working on a system wherein if there is a jam, the duration for which the traffic signal remains red can be reduced," he said.
The minister said the government will also tie up with Google Maps to identify traffic hotspots. During the tenure of the Aam Aadmi Party government, there were 13 pollution hotspots and now there are 62, he said.
"We are tying up with Google Maps to identify 100 hotspots of vehicular pollution. This way, we will be able to initiate measures," he added.
Sirsa said there are four sources of pollution in Delhi -- vehicular, industrial, dust and solid waste.
The Public Works Department (PWD) has been directed to deploy 70 mechanical road sweepers and water sprinklers. He said around 1,000 litter pickers and 300 water sprinklers are also being deployed across the city.
The minister said Delhi is coordinating with neighbouring states to ensure a regional approach to air pollution control. "We are in touch with neighbouring states and trying to ensure that air quality levels improve there as well," he said.
Sirsa also said the government has signed an MoU with IIT Madras to identify and develop "smog-eating" surfaces that can help reduce pollution levels.
These surfaces will be tested and implemented in selected areas, he added.
In order to encourage people to switch to public transport, the government is increasing the number of electric buses, he said, adding that 100 such buses will be flagged off on Thursday by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
Sirsa also alleged that AAP leaders were deliberately indulging in the burning of garbage to spike pollution levels.
"I urge AAP and their supremo Arvind Kejriwal to not indulge in dirty politics like this," he added. PTI NSM SLB SLB KSS
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