Delhi transporters propose to set up freight complexes

Delhi Transporters Association on Wednesday proposed to set up integrated freight complexes in the peripheral areas of the city in order to reduce air pollution and congestion in the city.

In a meeting with transporters, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal directed the transport department to examine and submit its preliminary report by next week on the proposal.

The transporters said they shared the government’s view regarding the deteriorating air quality in Delhi and the neighbouring National Capital Region.

“We requested the government to set up integrated freight complexes at Narela, Madanpur Khadar, Nazarfgarh and Dwarka which is also proposed in Master Plan 2021. If these complexes are open it will help in making the city congestion free and will also reduce air pollution,” Delhi Transporter’s Association’s general secretary Sandeep Jain said.

During the meeting, the department of transport asked the transporters to make optimum use of existing facilities for them at Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar and in Punjabi Bagh.

The repercussions of the National Green Tribunal order banning diesel vehicles which are more than 10 years-old were also discussed in the meeting.

In their presentation, the transporters stated that they are willing to contribute towards making the national capital free of congestion, traffic jams and encroachment along with reduction in air pollution.

Transporters suggested that one of the options can be to move wholesale trade and godowns and booking activities out from the inner areas of the city to its periphery to reduce heavy vehicular traffic from entering the city.

They cited the Delhi High Court verdict of May 2004, which had directed decongestion and suggested a number of solutions. They also suggested constructing by-pass roads for better connectivity.

“We are looking into the suggestions made by the transporters. We have to take effective steps in controlling air pollution and congestion in the city,” Transport Minister, Gopal Rai, said.

During the meeting, transporters requested the government to install CCTV cameras in transport facilities for security reasons.

“There have been cases when goods loaded on the vehicles have been stolen causing heavy loss to the transporters so we requested government to install CCTV cameras and take help of Delhi police,” Jain said.

Delhi transporters propose to set up freight complexes