NGO red flags trucks entering Delhi; questions MCD data

Terming "unreliable" the MCD's data for calculating pollution load from trucks in Delhi, an NGO today claimed that the actual figure of such vehicles daily entering the national capital was 70 per cent more than the civic body's estimate.
Warning that this can lead to gross underestimation of the "enormous" pollution load from trucks and weaken action in this regard, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) also alleged that these trucks were running on outdated technology, spewing "more smoke" to leave Delhi choked.
A new study by the NGO, which has challenged the MCD's data, found that most of these trucks entering into the city from nine points pass through Delhi to avoid higher toll charges on other routes.

On a daily basis, some 38,588 commercial vehicles (excluding taxis) enter Delhi only from the said nine locations, the study reported.
If that is extrapolated to the 127 entry points into Delhi, then a total of 52,146 commercial vehicles (excluding taxis) enter the national capital, the study, which measured vehicles in both directions, said.
The daily average number of light and heavy goods vehicles entering and exiting from the nine points was 85,799, it said. The total number of commercial light and heavy trucks entering and leaving the city is 1,15,945 each day, the report added.

"The MCD estimate of the number of trucks crossing Delhi borders is grossly underestimated and is unreliable for calculating pollution load from trucks," the study said.

According to MCD data, an average of 22,628 commercial vehicles, excluding taxis, enters Delhi each day from nine entry points as against the 38,588 commercial vehicles counted in the CSE survey, which is almost 16,000 vehicles less.
According to MCD, the total number of light and heavy trucks that enter Delhi everyday from all entry points is 30,373, which, too, is lower than what the CSE survey counted at nine entry points.
"Thus, MCD data on daily average truck entry is an under- estimation by an astounding 70 per cent. The gap at different entry points varies in the range of 50-96 per cent.

"The survey establishes that the official numbers for trucks entering the city are a gross underestimation and end up seriously under-estimating the health impact (on its residents)," the study said.
"The pollution is highest in the city during the time when there is movement of heavy and light trucks. While trends are more variable during summer night time pollution is sharper during winter," it said.
The study added that the ambient levels of PM2.5 and NOx "vary and spike" according to the hourly volume of truck traffic entering Delhi.