The Calcutta High Court had upheld the notification on July 18 last year. But this year, on March 18, the court had extended the deadline for conversion of the auto-rickshaws till July 31. Even the time limit on banning the 15-year-old public vehicles was extended from March 31 to July 31.

According to the court’s order public vehicles older than 15 years would not be allowed to ply on the streets after July 31. The environment department had issued the notification with a view that old public transport has been polluting the air by auto emission.

Meanwhile, Sumantro Choudhury, principal secretary, Transport Department, on Tuesday confirmed that the government will start their drive against the polluting vehicles from July 25.

The government has already informed Commissioner of Police Goutam Chakrabarty, along with the district magistrates and superintendents of police to confiscate vehicles older than 15 years. “In Kolkata there are around 2,557 buses; 5,000 taxis and 573 mini buses that are more than 15 years old and they will all be banned from July 25. All autos, except the ones with four-stroke engines, too, will be discarded,” said Choudhury.

Madan Mitra, president of Progressive Taxi Mens’ Association, meanwhile, said they had approached the transport department on Tuesday on the proposed ban.

“We will not call a strike yet as it will cause inconvenience to people. So on July 22, all taxis under various unions will stop working for five minutes at a designated time in protest,” said Mitra.

... contd.