SC gives two-day deadline to Delhi govt for plan on phasing out diesel cabs

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday gave a two-day deadline to AAP government for filing a detailed plan on phasing out diesel run taxis from the national capital, which faced protests and blockades by diesel cab operators causing hardship to regular commuters for the second consecutive day.

A bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice F M I Kalifulla granted the time after the counsel appearing for Delhi government said that meetings with the representatives of stake holders will be held today and tomorrow after which it can submit a plan as directed by the court.

Earlier in the day, the government had moved the apex court seeking time to phase out diesel taxis from the national capital after which the court had directed it to submit a plan, as how it propose to do so by 4 pm today.

The bench has said that whenever such decisions are taken, inconvenience is bound to be caused to the people and asked the Delhi government to submit a suitable detailed and workable plan.

During the brief hearing, senior advocate Chander Uday Singh, appearing for the Delhi Government, had said that in the wake of Supreme Court's order around 30,000 diesel taxis have stopped plying in the national capital which is causing inconvenience to the common people and creating a law and order situation.

He sought some time for phasing out the vehicle in a time -bound manner saying the government is committed to tackle the problem of pollution.

The bench also asked the Delhi Government to specify as to whether it stop the registration of diesel vehicles saying that it was the order given in December and the deadline was extended everytime.

The counsel said that due to the apex court's order, a human problem has been created and the government needs time to tackle the problem by phasing out the vehicles in phased manner or for making some alternate arrangement.

The Supreme Court had on April 30 refused to extend the deadline fixed for conversion of diesel taxis into less- polluting CNG mode.

The court had on December 16 last year considered the contention of senior advocate Harish Salve, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, that all diesel taxis be moved to CNG fuel within a reasonable time but not later than March 1, 2016.

"We, therefore, direct that all taxis including those operating under aggregators like OLA and UBER in the NCT of Delhi, plying under city permits shall move to CNG not later than March, 1," it had said and later extended it to April 30.