Delhi pollution crisis fuels demand for CNG, BS-6 vehicles during wedding season

The enforcement of Stage IV of GRAP, which bans BS-3 and BS-4 diesel vehicles, has disrupted question and transportation, peculiarly for those engaged successful the wedding business.The Central Pollution Control Board imposed GRAP-IV measures aft Delhi's aerial prime scale (AQI) entered the 'severe' class connected Sunday.The restrictions, which came into effect astatine 8 AM Monday, purpose to curb contamination caused by older diesel vehicles.

However, the measurement has had unintended consequences.Travel agencies study a crisp emergence successful request for BS-6 and CNG vehicles, including cars similar Ertiga, Innova, and traveller buses, arsenic they scramble to conscionable commitments made earlier the ban."The wedding play has added to the pressure. Many vehicles were pre-booked months successful advance, and with this abrupt ban, we had to scramble to adjust," said Sewak Tuar, a question bureau owner.

"We are struggling to put caller vehicles, the petrol, CNG, and BS-6 compliant ones, arsenic weddings and proscription needs are being heavy affected," helium added.Aryan Sinha, different question bureau owner, highlighted the increasing challenges "We person vehicles disposable for adjacent trips similar Amritsar, but families booking vehicles for destinations specified arsenic Manali, Mussoorie, and Rishikesh, arsenic good arsenic for weddings, are facing difficulties," helium said.According to Sinha, wedding bookings often necessitate 10 to 15 vehicles for aggregate days. Managing this request is challenging due to the fact that they present person to guarantee vehicles conscionable the required standards, helium said."For ample groups, CNG buses, traveller buses, and BS-6 compliant vehicles, particularly newer models from 2020 onward, are successful precocious demand," helium told PTI.The restrictions person besides impacted regular tourism arsenic contamination prompts galore families to program trips to elevation stations.Rajesh Kumar, different question bureau owner, said, "This is the highest wedding season, and galore families program destination weddings oregon ample gatherings requiring bulk bookings.

Rearranging these commitments has been costly and disruptive, arsenic we present person to rent further vehicles oregon upgrade our fleet to comply with the regulations." The shortage has besides caused fiscal strain connected agencies, with galore reporting losses."A ample information of our fleet comprises BS-3 and BS-4 vehicles, which are present disconnected the roads. To accommodate the demand, we've had to rent compliant vehicles, which increases costs," Kumar added.Delhi's AQI worsened connected Monday and Tuesday, crossing 450 and entering the 'severe-plus' range. While Wednesday saw flimsy improvement, the AQI remains successful the 'severe' range.GRAP, oregon Graded Response Action Plan, for Delhi-NCR is divided into 4 stages of aerial prime — Stage 1 for "poor" AQI ranging betwixt 201 and 300, Stage 2 for "very poor" AQI of 301-400, Stage 3 for "severe" AQI of 401-450 and Stage 4 for "severe plus" AQI much than 450.With schools present closed owed to pollution, galore families are booking trips to elevation stations. Dharamveer Singh from Kusha Travels, a question bureau based successful Pushp Vihar, said 3 to 4 families are booking circuit packages from Delhi each day, typically for trips lasting 3 to 4 days."Many families are booking trips to Manali, Mussoorie, and Shimla. Vehicles are being reserved for 3 to 4 days astatine a time, further adding to the shortage," Singh said.At 9 am, the nationalist superior recorded an AQI of 376, according to the CPCB. The upwind section has predicted shallow fog during the day.