Latest news with #NumberPlateRecognition
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Delhi govt reverses fuel ban on old vehicles
In a significant U-turn, the Delhi government announced the rollback of its contentious policy that restricted fuel supply to older vehicles, just two days after its implementation sparked widespread public anger and operational challenges. The ban, which came into effect on July 1, aimed to deny fuel to diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in an effort to combat air pollution. Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa confirmed the decision, stating that the "End-of-Life" (EOL) vehicle policy would be put on hold until further notice. He acknowledged several "unresolved issues" and "technological challenges" that rendered the immediate enforcement impractical and caused significant inconvenience to citizens. The initial policy, based on a directive from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), mandated petrol pumps to cease refueling such Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras were installed at fuel stations to identify and deny fuel. However, reports quickly emerged of malfunctioning sensors, difficulties in reading High Security Registration Plates (HSRP), and a lack of seamless integration with vehicle data from neighboring NCR regions like Gurugram, Faridabad, and Ghaziabad. Minister Sirsa highlighted that the government remains committed to reducing pollution but will not "inconvenience citizens through hasty enforcement." He further suggested that any future ban should be based on actual pollution levels of a vehicle rather than merely its age, and emphasised the need for a uniform application across the entire National Capital Region (NCR) to prevent vehicle owners from simply refueling in adjacent cities without such restrictions. The sudden enforcement had led to a surge of public criticism from vehicle owners, transport unions, and opposition parties, many of whom argued that the measure was arbitrary, disproportionate, and unfairly impacted those who maintained their older vehicles well. With over 62 lakh EOL vehicles in Delhi , including a substantial number of two-wheelers, the policy had the potential to severely disrupt daily commutes and livelihoods.6 The Delhi High Court had also issued notices to the Delhi government and CAQM on a plea by the Delhi Petrol Dealers Association, which deemed the enforcement unfair and unworkable for private operators.7 For now, the rollback offers temporary relief to thousands of vehicle owners in Delhi. The government's focus is now expected to shift towards addressing the technical hurdles and developing a more balanced and inclusive approach to tackle vehicular pollution in the capital.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Indian Express
‘What will owners of 40 lakh two-wheelers do?': AAP's Atishi flays Delhi fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles, alleges BJP nexus with vehicle makers
Written by Drishti Jain The Delhi government's fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles (ELVs)—diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years—has drawn criticism from the AAP, with MLA Atishi calling it 'illogical' and alleging a nexus between the ruling BJP and vehicle makers. According to Atishi, 60 lakh vehicles—40 lakh two-wheelers and 20 lakh large vehicles—will be removed from the national capital's roads because of the fuel ban. 'The common people of Delhi use two-wheelers to go to work. What will the owners of 40 lakh two-wheelers do? How will they go to work?' the former chief minister said. Calling the fuel ban 'archaic and baseless', Atishi said the BJP was causing trouble to the residents of the capital, 'There are many senior citizens in the city who use secondhand vehicles just to get groceries from the market and come back. What will they do now?' Atishi questioned the rationale behind the fuel ban. 'There is no proven relation between the age of the vehicle and the levels of pollution caused. If vehicles are maintained properly, they won't cause pollution,' she said. Alleging a nexus between the BJP and big vehicle manufacturers, Atishi said, 'Today I challenge the BJP to inform the people about the amount of donation they received from these companies.' On the first day of the fuel ban, 350 teams, including from Delhi Police, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and the transport department, were stationed 24×7 across the 498 petrol pumps in the capital on Tuesday. While 80 vehicles were seized, 98 people whose vehicles could not be impounded were issued notices on Tuesday, an officer from the Delhi transport department stated. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed to scan number plates of vehicles and instantly cross-check their details against data registered in the Union government's VAHAN portal. If the vehicle is flagged as an ELV or lacks a valid pollution under control certificate, an audio alert is sent to the petrol pump operator.
Hindustan Times
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
EOL vehicles will be impounded at fuel stations from July 1: CAQM
New Delhi/Noida, End-of-life vehicles detected at fuel stations or found parked at public places will be impounded and a penalty of ₹ 10,000 imposed on four-wheeler owners and ₹ 5,000 on two-wheeler owners starting July 1, officials said on Friday. EOL vehicles will be impounded at fuel stations from July 1: CAQM EOL vehicles are diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years. Irrespective of the states they are registered in, they will not be given fuel in Delhi starting July 1, according to directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management earlier. Around 500 fuel stations in Delhi have installed Automated Number Plate Recognition cameras to detect EOL vehicles. "When a vehicle enters a fuel station, a special camera will read its number plate. This number will be instantly checked with the central VAHAN database, which will show details like the vehicle's age, fuel type and registration. If the vehicle is found to be EOL, it will be flagged as an EOL vehicle. The system will alert the fuel station staff not to refuel it. The violation will be recorded and sent to enforcement agencies, who may then take action, such as impounding and scrapping the vehicle," Virendra Sharma, Member , CAQM, said. Delhi Transport Commissioner Niharika Rai said any EOL vehicle detected at the fuel stations will be impounded on the spot. To discourage their use, penalties have been set for owners of impounded vehicles. Four-wheeler owners will be fined ₹ 10,000, while those who own two-wheelers will have to pay ₹ 5,000, along with towing and parking charges, the CAQM said. Also, the owners must submit an undertaking stating that the vehicles will not be used or parked at any public place and will be removed from Delhi's jurisdiction, it said. Enforcement agencies will carry out regular drives to remove EOL vehicles from public places in Delhi and send daily reports to the environment department for submission to the CAQM, Sharma said. If an EOL vehicle is found on the road or parked in a public area, it will be seized and a seizure memo issued. All such impounded vehicles will be sent to a registered vehicle scrapping facility . If the owner wants to move the vehicle out of Delhi, he must get a no-objection certificate within a year of the vehicle's expiry date, officials said. Rai said the fuel stations violating the directions during the trial run of the ANPR system have been identified. "We will deploy a team comprising transport and traffic police officials at each of these fuel stations. They will ensure that there is no law-and-order problem while implementing the system," the official said. The mechanism will be rolled out in five high-vehicle-density districts adjoining Delhi Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar and Sonipat from November 1, with the installation of ANPR cameras to be completed by October 31. The remaining NCR districts have been given time till March 31, 2026, to install the cameras, with fuel denial for EOL vehicles starting April 1, 2026. Officials also said the CAQM will soon issue an order to implement the mechanism at Delhi's 156 entry points for EOL vehicles as well as for buses and other heavy goods vehicles. Sharma said around 100 enforcement teams comprising officials from the traffic and transport departments have been set up. Strict action will be taken against the fuel stations found flouting the directions under relevant legal provisions, he said. The CAQM shared that there are 62 lakh EOL vehicles in Delhi, of which 41 lakh are two-wheelers. The total number of EOL vehicles in the other National Capital Region districts is around 44 lakh and these are largely concentrated in the five high-density cities. The directions come amid poor progress in removing old, polluting vehicles from the NCR despite previous orders from the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal. Assistant Regional Transport Officer , Gautam Budh Nagar, Udit Narayan Pandey, said, "The CAQM has issued an important order to promote pollution control and clean air, under which from November 1, 15-year-old petrol vehicles and 10-year-old diesel vehicles will not be provided fuel at petrol pumps in Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad." He added that the rule will apply to 2.08 lakh vehicles registered in Gautam Budh Nagar. Pandey appealed to the owners of EOL vehicles to scrap the vehicles and opt for alternative arrangements, such as buying environment-friendly electric vehicles or using public transport. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Leader Live
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Llangollen to benefit from approx 180 extra parking spaces
Llangollen Town Centre has often suffered due to the lack of car parking spaces but thanks to the Eisteddfod Team running the Pavilion, the town will see close to an additional 180 parking spaces from Thursday, May 15. The spaces will be available when there are no events on at the Pavilion or its grounds. John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen Eisteddfod says that opening up the grounds will be a significant boost to the local economy. There will a number of pay points on the site with a variety of ways to pay. John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen Eisteddfod (Image: Llangollen Eisteddfod) The changes will see the implementation of an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system. This advanced technology will significantly improve security, deter anti-social behaviour, and enable 24-hour monitoring of the car park and the Eisteddfod grounds. The ANPR system will help maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all visitors to Llangollen. Costs will be from 70p for 30 minutes for the main car park, £6 for up to 8 hours and £10 for 12 hours. The Pavilion field car park will have the same charges but with a maximum time of 8 hours. There will be no overnight parking. Mr Gambles said: "For as long as I can remember, parking has been a huge issue in the centre of Llangollen. When we took over the Pavilion full-time in April, one of the first things we did was look if it was possible to open up our site for additional car parking. "Any revenue raised will go towards running the Pavilion for the benefit of Llangollen and towards the running of the Llangollen Eisteddfod." The field will be open from May 15, with the centre of Llangollen only 500 metres away. The Eisteddfod say the changes have been carefully considered to balance public convenience, revenue protection, and the facilitation of future enhancements funded by this revenue. There will be no charge for parents of pupils at Ysgol Dinas Bran for parents dropping off and picking up. MOST READ There will be numerous mechanisms to pay for parking, including booking services for specific elements. Mr Gambles added: "We appreciate resident's cooperation as we implement these new measures. Our goal is to provide a better, safer, and more enjoyable experience for everyone who visits Llangollen and the Royal Pavilion. "We are certain that by adding close to 180 spaces in the heart of Llangollen, we will see a rise in visitors to our wonderful town."
Extra.ie
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Extra.ie
How drivers are trying to beat speed vans by becoming 'undetectable'
Drivers in the UK have been warned about using 'ghost plates' to become undetectable against speed vans. The licence plates, also known as 3D or 4D licence plates, were causing headaches for authorities on the road as they were undetectable over their lack of legibility and ability to reflect camera flashes — like from a speed van. Professor Fraser Sampson, who was in charge of the Automatic Number Plate Recognition in the UK found that one in 15 drivers were using the plates to outsmart speed cameras, and wrote to then Transport Secretary Mark Harper to highlight the issue and the government's lack of action. Average-speed cameras on the M3 Motorway in the UK. Pic: Gary Perkin/Shutterstock He also wrote that speed cameras at the time only had a 97% accuracy rate meaning that hundreds of thousands of innocent people were receiving fines for doing nothing wrong. The government have since upgraded the equipment that are capable of detecting the plates, with fines of up to £100 (€117) for those who are caught with the illegal plates. Licence plates have a stringent set of guidelines, and must look like these. However, 3D/4D plates can kind of be legal. Pic: Getty Kinda — there are some requirements that the plates have to go through to be street legal. To be easily readable and recognisable by the RSA, the plates must be made from a reflective material, with a white background and blue IRL/EU logo on the left hand side of the plate, with black characters. The font must also be standard Irish font that you'd see on most cars when you buy them — but hyphens aren't a requirement. The height and width of the plates must be 70x36mm. 3D Licence plates are raised against the plate themselves, but are a bit sticky legally. Pic: Getty As for a 3D/4D plate, while you may think they look cool, the legality of the plates are hinging on if they meet the standards. They must also be readable by humans and the aforementioned speed cameras, and must be reflective to ensure that they're legible under all lighting conditions. Even if they're legal for the most part on the streets (i.e. if you're just let off with a warning), you may still also need to re-attach your original plates ahead of the NCT.
