*Kejriwal Government sends 'Red Light On Gaadi Off' campaign file to LG once again; seeks approval based on global merits
*In view of the increasing level of pollution in Delhi, LG should immediately approve the 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign: Gopal Rai
*The LG had claimed that there was no evidence of the merits of this campaign, the Delhi Government has now sent a bunch of evidence to the LG: Gopal Rai
*Such campaigns have been run in 40 cities of India; similar campaigns are also running in America and London: Gopal Rai
*According to CRRI, only 20% of people turned their cars off at lights earlier, whereas 80% of people turned their cars off when this campaign was run: Gopal Rai
NEW DELHI:310.22-The Delhi Government led by Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal has sent the 'Red Light On Gaadi Off' campaign file to the Delhi LG once again. After the LG's initial refusal, the government has now sought approval based on global merits of the initiative. Divulging more details on the same, Environment Minister Shri Gopal Rai said, "In view of the increasing level of pollution in Delhi, LG should immediately approve the 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign. The LG had claimed that there was no evidence of the merits of this campaign, the Delhi Government has now sent a bunch of evidence to the LG. Such campaigns have been run in 40 cities of India; similar campaigns are also running in America and London. According to CRRI, only 20% of people turned their cars off at lights earlier, whereas 80% of people turned their cars off when this campaign was run."
Environment Minister Shri Gopal Rai said, “With a change in weather of Delhi, there is a rise in pollution level. Along with a fall in the temperature after November 1st, the wind will blow at a speed of 4-8kmph. Keeping this in mind, Phase III of GRAP has been enforced in Delhi as per which, construction and demolition have been prohibited. Along with this, other measures, under the 15-point Winter Action Plan announced by CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal to keep pollution in check, are being implemented. We are spraying bio-decomposer to decompose stubble. We have also formed teams to tighten a noose on dust pollution.”
He continued, “In the meanwhile, on October 29th, the Delhi L-G halted the ‘Red light on, Gaadi off’ campaign which we run every year to curb vehicle pollution. He returned the file to Delhi Government and his primary contention was that there are no figures to show that turning off vehicles on red light results in reduction of pollution in Delhi. There has been no such research experiment in any other city of the country or anywhere in the world. We decided that we will submit our answers to these questions to the L-G again.”
He added, “Today, the Delhi Government has resubmitted the file to L-G with answers to all his questions and requested him to give permission for this campaign, given the emergency situation in Delhi. We are making efforts on all the fronts to keep pollution in check. We want to do everything possible on our part. We have taken several measures to curb vehicle pollution, be it implementing E-Vehicle Policy effectively or intensifying the campaign to check PUC certificates of vehicles. Along with this, we want to run the ‘Red Light On, Gaadi Off’ campaign as well.”
Shri Gopal Rai said, “When we conceptualised the ‘Red Light On, Gaadi Off’ campaign for the first time in 2020, it was done on the basis of several studies conducted across India. In 2019, scientists of the CSIR and Central Road Research Institute, which come under the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, conducted a study on Petroleum Conservation. As per that study, if the vehicle engine is not shut on a red light at a particular four-way, there is an increase of pollution level by 9% on that four-way.”
He continued, “Another study was conducted in Delhi on Bhikaji Cama four-way under PCRA. During the survey, it was found that merely 20% of the drivers turned-off their engine when no campaign was conducted. 80% of drivers did not shut down their engine. Then, volunteers were placed there with placards and banners. When a survey was conducted after this campaign, 62.33% of drivers turned-off their engine. Similar campaigns were run in London with a title ‘Engine off, Every Stop’ and on every transportational four-way in USA’s North Carolina. As per a study conducted under a campaign which was run in Salt Lake City of USA to observe those drivers who kept their engines on while waiting in front of schools or marketplace, 8 out of 10 drivers started turning their engines off after the campaign. Apart from this, HDFC Bank ran a similar campaign in 126 four-ways in various parts of India on June 5th, 2022 on the occasion of World Environment Day.”
He added, “There is a strong logic behind all these campaigns that an average commuter has to travel through 10-12 four-ways daily. If they keep their engines on for 2 minutes on an average on every four-way out of habit, we burn fuel for 25-30 minutes without any reason. We can contribute to reducing this vehicle pollution of 25-30 minutes by turning off the engine. ‘Red Light on, Gaadi off’ campaign is based on the research done on Bhikaji Cama four-way where we found that 2 out of 10 people turned off the engine on their own. But when a campaign is run on all the four-way and they see ‘Red Light on, Gaadi off’ all over their routes, it inculcates a habit of turning-off engines in the driver’s mind. In fact, they start raising awareness in others as well.”
He concluded, “We ran this campaign for 2 years successfully but unfortunately, this campaign was halted. We have resent the file to L-G with all the data and we are optimistic that on the basis of this data and keeping Delhi’s emergency situation in mind, the L-G should implement this campaign at the earliest. As per studies, Pollution emitted inside Delhi has a contribution of only 31% to Delhi’s total pollution and 69% of pollution comes from other areas of NCR. Now since the incident of stubble burning is on an increase, the pollution will increase further during winters. We are taking all the possible steps, be it sprinkling water on the road, controlling dust pollution or decomposing stubble. We have also taken other measures to reduce vehicle pollution. ‘Red Light on, Gaadi off’ campaign is also a significant step in this direction.”
*What is the Red Light On Gaadi Off campaign?*
The campaign seeks to deploy 2,500 civil defence volunteers to encourage people to turn off their vehicle engines at red lights at 100 busy intersections across the city, the move was touted to reduce vehicular pollution by 15-20% in the context.
The Delhi Government has now sent the file related to the campaign again to the LG with a bunch of data and evidence backing the effectiveness of the campaign.
*Major cities across the globe adopting campaigns like Red Light On Gaadi Off to reduce pollution*
Across the world, many cities have now realised the importance of making the public aware of switching off idling vehicles at traffic intersections and other idling spots.
The city of London has launched a massive campaign titled “Engines Off, Every Stop” which is similar to the one proposed by the Delhi Government. The state of North Carolina in the United States of America has launched a "Turn Off Your Engine" program with an aim to distribute signs and materials to citizens at the traffic intersection. Yet another programme conducted in the past in Salt Lake City, United States of America indicates that when volunteers were engaged to contact drivers at the intervention site in Salt Lake City and make them aware of the importance of switching off engines when idling, 8 out of the 10 intervention sites experienced a decrease in particulate matter.
*Data heavily backs the need and effectiveness of Red Light On Gaadi Off Campaign*
In a research by Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) it was estimated that out of Delhi’s total transport related emissions, approx. 9% is generated due to idling of vehicles at traffic intersections, and hence any intervention in this area will contribute to reduce air pollution in Delhi. In 2019, CSIR, in partnership with Petroleum Conservation and Research Association – PCRA, conducted a one week long intervention at the Bhikaji Cama traffic intersection in Delhi, which involved “deployment of on-site banners, stationary boards, enumerators holding placards”, the number of commuters switching off their vehicles increased from 20% to 62.33%.
*Awareness increased amongst bikers & auto-drivers during the study*
During the study it was observed that before the awareness campaign, only 13.64% cars shut off their engines at red light. But, during the awareness campaign it increased to 46.45% cars. Similarly, two wheelers went from 42.73% to 83.72% and three wheelers from 30.49% to 81.33%. The change in buses went from 6.94% to 28.02% and trucks went from 17.54% to 43.02%. It was also noted how the percentage of vehicles shutting their engines off at red lights was higher after the campaign than before it. After the campaign ended, 33.48% cars were seen turning off their engines whereas, 80.12% two wheelers, 77.66% three wheelers, 20.72% buses and 37.43% trucks turned their engines off.
*Why is such a campaign needed?*
As per research report by CRRI cited above (intervention at the Bhikhaji Cama traffic intersection in Delhi), only 20% commuters switched off their engines at red light voluntarily and without any awareness campaign or intervention. Therefore, there is a large number of commuters (approx. 80%) who are not following their duty voluntarily and an intervention like Red Light On Gaadi Off is needed to make them aware. Campaigns targeted to change commuters’ behaviour to switch off engines at traffic intersections by deployment of human resources have been carried out in multiple cities in India too. One such example includes the initiative by HDFC Bank in partnership with city governments in 40 cities in India. As part of this three-day campaign launched on 5 June, 2022 (World Environment Day), short play / nukkad nataks were organised at over 126 busy signals in 40 cities across the country.