The Supreme Court on Friday raised concerns over vehicular pollution and inadequate public transport while hearing a case related to the worsening air quality in Delhi-NCR. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said the heavy movement of vehicles on roads connecting Delhi with neighbouring areas was a major contributor to the pollution crisis.
"Major cause is vehicular pollution. Look at the roads in Delhi, connecting to NCR. The kind of bumper-to-bumper vehicles are going," the Chief Justice observed during the hearing.
The bench also flagged the lack of sufficient public transport, pointing out that better connectivity and transport facilities were needed to reduce dependence on private vehicles.
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A three-judge bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing a matter concerning the air pollution crisis in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The CJI's observations came amid worsening air quality in the national capital, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) nearing the severe category.
CJI Flags Vehicular Pollution, Lack Of Public Transport
During the hearing, the Chief Justice highlighted the growing number of vehicles travelling between Delhi and neighbouring NCR cities, including Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Faridabad and Greater Noida.
He pointed out that roads connecting these areas were witnessing heavy, bumper-to-bumper traffic, making vehicular emissions a major concern.
The bench also flagged the shortage of adequate public transport facilities, indicating that authorities needed to address the issue as part of efforts to reduce pollution.
The CJI said that while several measures and suggestions had been discussed to tackle air pollution, the situation remained concerning, with the AQI already touching 400.
The court also questioned whether stubble burning alone was responsible for the pollution crisis or whether emissions from private vehicles and high-end cars were contributing significantly to the problem.
CJI Suggests Warehousing Facilities For Crop Stubble
The Supreme Court also discussed ways to prevent farmers from burning crop residue and suggested creating a system that would make stubble collection and storage financially viable.
The CJI observed that most states already have corporations that could be involved in the process. He said people who could provide warehousing facilities could also earn through the arrangement.
"Most of the states have these corporations... You will find that there are people who can provide warehousing. They will also earn," the Chief Justice said.
The bench also stressed that the procurement price for crop stubble should be announced well in advance so that farmers know how much they can earn by selling it.
It suggested that gram panchayats should be provided with a proper system to facilitate the collection and management of crop residue.
Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, had earlier told the bench that stubble burning contributed 14% to Delhi's pollution levels on November 5. She also called for urgent action against local sources of pollution, including waste burning.
Centre Lists Measures To Tackle Vehicular Pollution
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, told the Supreme Court that several measures had been introduced to tackle pollution from vehicles.
She said orders had been issued to restrict the entry of vehicles that do not comply with Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) emission standards into Delhi. The measures also included phasing out diesel-powered rickshaws and regulating buses entering the national capital from other cities.
Bhati further said pollution under control (PUC) certificates were being geotagged at the point of issuance and fuel was not being supplied without a valid certificate.
She added that the government was considering immediate and medium-term measures to strengthen public transport.
However, Singh pointed out that an earlier Supreme Court direction to prevent vehicles from idling for long periods at toll plazas was not being fully implemented. She said vehicles entering Delhi from neighbouring NCR areas were being stopped at the borders and left running for extended periods, adding to pollution.
Diwali Rush Adds To Delhi Traffic Congestion
The court's observations on vehicular pollution came against the backdrop of heavy traffic congestion across Delhi ahead of Diwali.
On Thursday, commuters reported bumper-to-bumper movement across several parts of the national capital, with major roads, flyovers, intersections and commercial hubs witnessing long queues of vehicles.
Congestion was reported on several stretches, including ITO, Lodhi Road, Barapullah Flyover, Moolchand underpass, Ashram intersection, Chandni Chowk and Kashmere Gate.
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Several commuters also flagged traffic snarls on Vikas Marg near Nirman Vihar Metro Station and at the Hauz Khas traffic signal, with delays extending towards IIT Delhi and R K Puram Metro Station.
Commuters took to X to complain about long travel times, poor traffic management and restrictions imposed for VIP movement in Lutyens' Delhi.
The Supreme Court is expected to take up the matter again on November 16, after the Diwali vacation.
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