The Supreme Court on Saturday refused to extend the April 30 deadline fixed for the conversion of diesel and petrol taxis into less-polluting CNG mode, in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR). This means all diesel and petrol taxis will go off the roads after Sunday.

No Extension Of Deadline For Converting Diesel Taxis In Delhi To CNG https://t.co/yGhDyjPmKX pic.twitter.com/tR5fgMzPvN

— NDTV (@ndtv) April 30, 2016

It is estimated that some 35,000 cabs will no more by eligible to run in Delhi and NCR, and likely to hit two lakh commuters. This order was given by a Supreme Court bench on Saturday. It was way back in 1998 that the SC had ordered conversion of public transport and commercial vehicles in Delhi to CNG. This included buses, taxis and autos. Of nearly 80,000 taxis in Delhi, around 35,000 run on diesel. Most of these cabs are run by Ola and Uber.

SC drives out non-CNG cabs from Delhi roads https://t.co/zT9Cc55rxl
(Representative Image) pic.twitter.com/D9Au3oYSww

— Times of India (@timesofindia) May 1, 2016

"We cant keep on extending the time. We are not extending it now and not going to make any exceptions. There is technology available, you convert," a three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said. It also rejecting the plea that the ban would affect livelihood of poor drivers as there is no technology available for conversion of diesel vehicles into CNG ones. The bench, also comprising Justices A K Sikri and R Banumathi, had on March 31, extended the deadline till today for conversion of all diesel taxis to CNG.