No diesel taxis on Delhi roads from May 1, says SC

It is the end of the road for diesel taxis including those run by aggregators like Ola and Uber in Delhi and National Capital Region as the Supreme Court on Saturday refused to extend the April 30 deadline fixed for their conversion into less-polluting CNG mode.

"We can't keep on extending the time. We are not extending it now and not going to make any exceptions. There is technology available, you convert," a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said while rejecting the plea that it would affect livelihood of poor drivers as there is no technology available for conversion of diesel vehicles into CNG ones.

The bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri and R Banumathi, had on March 31, extended the deadline till April 30 for conversion of all diesel taxis to compressed natural gas.

Diwan made a strong and emotional plea for modification of the order saying, "We will not be able to earn our livelihood. Moreover, we have to pay the bank also."

A senior Delhi government official said about 60,000 taxis are registered in Delhi and of them 21,000 run on diesel.

"There is already ban on diesel cabs plying on local routes here. Taxis having all India permit are required to cover around 200 km which is not violation of the existing rules. Taxis having all India permits cannot ply from one point to other point inside Delhi," the official said.

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 upto April 30.