Tue Nov 19 19:49:02 UTC 2024: **Disabled Doctor Challenges Delhi’s BS-III Vehicle Ban**

**New Delhi, November 20, 2024** – A leading doctor with a mobility impairment has challenged the Delhi government’s ban on older petrol and diesel vehicles, arguing it disproportionately affects people with disabilities. Dr. Santendra Singh, Director-Professor of Physiology at University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, received a ₹20,000 fine for driving his modified car, which is essential for his daily commute.

In a letter to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), Dr. Singh highlighted the inaccessibility of public transport for wheelchair users in the National Capital Region (NCR). He stated that buses lack low floors and often refuse to stop for wheelchair users, while metro stations lack accessible exits and pavements. He also noted that many cab drivers refuse fares from wheelchair users due to concerns about vehicle damage.

Dr. Singh, who commutes daily from Ghaziabad to his hospital in Dilshad Garden, emphasized that working from home is not an option for him. He urged the CAQM to grant an exemption for individuals with disabilities from the ban, arguing that the current restrictions limit their independence and ability to work. The ban, implemented last week following orders from the Centre’s air quality monitoring panel, prohibits BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in the NCR.

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