Delhi govt plans identification cameras at borders to curb entry of overaged vehicles into city

New Delhi: Delhi govt may soon install automatic numberplate recognition (ANPR) cameras at the city’s borders and toll gates to identify overaged vehicles and prevent them from entering the capital.
Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the move was part of several new initiatives being taken by Delhi govt to reduce air pollution in the city. He added that govt was also going to make it mandatory for all high-rise and commercial buildings to install smog guns on rooftops while all new constructions on plots measuring 500 square metres or more would have to install PM2.5 monitoring devices.
“We are working really hard to curb air pollution and have decided to take several new measures,” Sirsa said.
Since diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years are not allowed in Delhi-NCR, Sirsa said his department was working on a strategy to prevent their entry into the capital. “The way we installed ANPR cameras at filling stations to detect end-of-life vehicles and deny them fuel, similar cameras will be installed at all entry gates,” he said. “The registered owner of the vehicle will immediately be alerted with a message on the phone if it enters the city limits. Variable signboards installed at borders will also flash the number of such vehicles and urge them to return.”

There are nearly 370 petrol pumps and 100-odd CNG filling stations where ANPR cameras have been installed.
Sirsa added that govt was exploring the possibility of collecting data on all end-of-life vehicles registered in other states and sending owners a message that they were not allowed in Delhi. Similar messages will be sent to BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel vehicles before Graded Response Action Plan is implemented.
The minister said around 3,500-4,000 high-rise buildings—govt, private, corporate housing societies and malls—would have to install smog guns on rooftops within six months of such an order. Govt will install mist sprayers along Ring Road, starting from Azadpur to the Gurgaon border via Rajouri Garden, Dhaula Kuan and Mahipalpur.
The minister said all new constructions on plots above 500 square metres would now have to register with Delhi Pollution Control Committee and follow its 14 directions to control dust pollution.
“Any violation will lead to heavy penalties. These constructions will have to constantly monitor PM2.5 and take regular measures to keep the levels down. We don’t want any activity in the capital that adds to its pollution levels,” Sirsa said.