MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Indian government has decided to request the country's Supreme Court to reconsider its decision to ban all diesel taxis from driving in New Delhi from April 30 amid growing protests, Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said Tuesday.
"The government has decided to request the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision on ban. The ban has created an unprecedented situation of thousands of taxis getting off road and people facing severe hardships," Gadkari said, as quoted by The Times of India newspaper.
In December, the Supreme Court attempted to introduce air pollution-curbing measures by banning new diesel vehicles with engine capacity of over 2,000 cubic centimeters (2 liters) from being registered until March 31 in the country's entire capital region, as well as banning trucks not bound for Delhi from passing through the city and ordering taxis to convert to running on compressed natural gas.
On Saturday, the court refused to extend the conversion deadline beyond April 30, preventing tens of thousands of taxi drivers from driving in Delhi.
Delhi's air pollution is the worst among the world's major cities, according the World Health Organization.
