Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: After 13 years, the Delhi government has increased the fees for pollution certificates for vehicles. The revised rates, effective Thursday, are aimed at addressing the rising costs of pollution checking services.
The new rates for pollution checks are set at ?80 for petrol, CNG, or LPG two and three-wheelers, and ?110 for petrol, CNG, or LPG four-wheelers. Diesel vehicles will now be charged ?140 for the certificate.
Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot stated that the decision to revise the prices was in response to long-standing demands from the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association and to match the increased costs of pollution checking services. “We remain committed to maintaining Delhi’s air quality and ensuring that all vehicles meet the required pollution standards,” Gahlot emphasized.
On Thursday, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) stood at 185, indicating moderate air quality. The AQI scale categorizes air quality as follows: 0-50 is ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’, and 401-500 ‘severe’.
Recently, Delhi’s AQI has improved, thanks to spells of rain and wind in the national capital. In June, Delhi’s AQI was below 100 for seven days, with further improvements observed in July.
On Wednesday, Delhi experienced intermittent light to moderate rainfall, with the Safdarjung observatory recording 10.1mm of rain between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm. Other areas, such as Palam, recorded 25.4mm, Lodhi Road 5mm, and Ayanagar 3.9mm. The rain caused waterlogging in several areas, leading to traffic congestion.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast “very light” to “light” rain in Delhi on Thursday and issued a “yellow alert”.
