NOIDA: The traffic police on Tuesday seized eight buses and served challans to 12 other buses near Mahamaya Flyover on Noida Expressway for lacking valid permits, fitness and PUC certificates, overloading, using pressure horns and other traffic violations.Traffic inspector Shailendra Singh said the traffic and transport departments have been conducting an enforcement drive to observe safety month this November.On Tuesday, our teams stood near Mahamaya Flyover and stopped buses for checking. They found eight buses had nofitness certificates and valid permits to run in Noida and seized them. They also found buses using pressure horns, lacking PUC certificates, speeding, having faulty number plates and no seatbelts and issued 12 challans for these violations, he said.As part of its efforts to curb winter pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) directed the UP government on October 19 to operate public transport services, including buses, on cleaner fuels like CNG, diesel BS 6 or electric power in NCR cities from April 1 next year and in other parts of the state from July 1, 2024. The committee also sought action plans with a target to run only e-buses in the long term of five years, run CNG- or e-buses in the medium term of three years, and run CNG-, BS 6 diesel- or e-buses in the interim.A total of 874 buses are presently plying within the eight NCR districts of UP. At least 250 of them are BS 6 diesel-complaint. The balance shall be BS 6 compliant by January 1, 2024. In non-NCR districts, the date for compliance is July 1, 2024, the CAQM order said.In its order, the committee emphasised the significantly high contribution from the transport sector to the overall air pollution load in NCR during winter, saying efficient and cleaner public transport services, particularly intra-city and inter-city bus services, would help check air pollution.Shyam Lal Gola, president of All India Luxury Bus Union, said bus operators are switching to cleaner fuels, but it is a cost-intensive process. BS 3 and BS 4 diesel buses that have plied for six to seven years have been banned.If we scrap them, we will suffer huge losses.We also published the following articles recentlyTiruvannamalai Karthigai Deepam 2023: Special buses to be run from Chennai, Coimbatore and other placesThe Tamil Nadu transport department will run special buses from various cities to Tiruvannamalai for the Karthigai Deepam festival. The buses will be available from November 25 to 27 and tickets can be booked online. Additional buses will also be operated as per demand. A dedicated team will monitor the operations to avoid congestion at bus stands.Sabarimala season: Tamil Nadus SETC to operate special buses from Chennai and other citiesThe Tamil Nadu government-owned State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) will run special buses to Sabarimala in Kerala from November 16 to January 16. The services will be ultra-deluxe and non-stop, departing from Chennai, Trichy, Madurai, and Puducherry/Cuddalore. Additional services may be added from other districts as needed. Passengers can book tickets online through the TNSTC website or app, and more information can be obtained by contacting 9445014452.After trucks, bus ban now likely in Delhi: CNG, electric and BS-6 buses only exceptionThe Delhi government is considering a ban on passenger buses entering the city due to severe pollution levels. The ban would have exceptions for buses operating on CNG, electricity, and BS-6 diesel. The implementation of the ban is likely after the Chhath Puja festival. Currently, only trucks are prohibited from entering Delhi under Stage IV restrictions. Previous regulations mandated buses entering from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan to run on electricity, CNG, or BS-6 diesel. Despite strict measures, Delhis air quality has worsened, and the government may implement the odd-even scheme, affecting cabs and further constricting public transport.

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