Delhi’s AAP Govt Launches ‘Red Light on, Gaadi Off’ Campaign To Curb Pollution

Delhi's pollution increases due to biomass burning, dust, and vehicular emissions, among other factors.

Environment Minister Gopal Rai at the launch of the 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign. 

(Photo: X/@AamAadmiParty)

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai launched the 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign on 26 October to reduce vehicular pollution in the national capital. He mentioned that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has announced a 15-point winter action plan to address pollution.

Delhi's pollution increases due to biomass burning, dust, and vehicular pollution, prompting the need for the 'Red Light on, Gaadi Off' campaign.

Gopal Rai said, "The Delhi government has started a green war room against pollution. Along with this, an anti-dust campaign has been run, in which action is being taken to prevent pollution caused by dust. Apart from this, bio-de-composers are being sprayed on 5000 acres to prevent stubble burning. Now the 'Red Light on Gaadi Off' campaign is being initiated."

Further, the Environment Minister also announced that the 'Red Light On, Gaadi Off' campaign will be launched at Barakhamba and Chandgi Ram Akhara intersections on 28 and 30 October, and in all 70 assembly constituencies on 2 November, followed by an awareness campaign among children in schools through 2,000 Eco Clubs on 3 November.

“A pertinent question comes across very often: what is the benefit of switching off engines at red lights? A survey by the Petroleum Conservation Research Association states that vehicle pollution can be reduced by 15-20% if all the engines are switched off at red lights. If the duration of the red light is 2 minutes and we do not switch off our engine, we are burning fuel unnecessarily for 25–30 minutes. It is only our mindset that when the red light turns green and if our engine is not on, other vehicles will overtake us,” said Gopal Rai.

The Environment Minister stated, “When the Delhi Government 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 from the CSIR and Central Road Research Institute, which come under the Ministry of Science and 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 in pollution level by 9% on that four-way."

Gopal Rai urges Delhiites to join the campaign with Paryavaran Mitra, RWAs, and Eco Club of Delhi to reduce fuel consumption.