Lahore authorities have launched stricter anti-smog measures, including checks on uncovered cargo vehicles and smoke-emitting transport. The move comes as the city\u2019s AQI stays above 190 and weather conditions continue to trap pollutants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
LAHORE: Authorities in Lahore have intensified enforcement measures to address worsening smog, with tighter checks on vehicles and transport operations as air pollution remains at hazardous levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The steps were finalised at a meeting chaired by Chief Traffic Officer Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi, who called in circle officers to review the reasons behind the deteriorating air quality and work out immediate responses. The meeting settled on a plan aimed at major sources of urban pollution, especially emissions linked to transport and construction activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A key part of the campaign is a complete restriction on vehicles carrying sand, soil and fodder without proper covering. Officials said exposed loads of this kind add significantly to airborne particulate matter. Checkpoints are to be set up at all major entry and exit points of the city, where vehicles will be examined for compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to officials, only vehicles meeting strict documentation and safety requirements will be allowed to enter. These include valid driving licences, updated fitness certificates and fully covered cargo bodies. Officials said these conditions are non-negotiable and are intended to reduce environmental harm as well as road safety risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traffic police have also been ordered to carry out a focused operation against smoke-emitting vehicles, which authorities identified as a major source of fine particulate pollution, particularly PM2.5. Officials said these particles can travel deep into the lungs and create serious health risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“No vehicle contributing to environmental pollution will be allowed to operate on city roads,” Shirazi said during the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, authorities said legal action would be taken against transporters carrying construction materials such as steel bars, T-iron and other metal items extending beyond vehicle bodies. Officials said such practices not only put the public at risk but also worsen congestion and disrupt traffic flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To curb emissions linked to traffic jams, officers concerned have been directed to identify congestion hotspots across Lahore. A coordinated traffic management plan is to be prepared to improve movement on roads and cut idle emissions, especially during peak hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heavy vehicles, which are often blamed for both congestion and pollution, will also face restrictions on entering the city before designated times. Deputy superintendents of police have been instructed to oversee implementation in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The enforcement drive comes as Lahore continues to record troubling air quality readings. Recent data has placed the city among the world\u2019s most polluted urban centres, with the Air Quality Index remaining above 190, a level classified as unhealthy. Fine particulate matter remains the main pollutant, prompting concern among health experts over long-term respiratory and cardiovascular effects, particularly for children, older people and those with pre-existing health conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Pakistan Meteorological Department said continental air is prevailing over much of the country, bringing hot and dry weather. In Lahore, temperatures are expected to stay between 23\u00b0C and 35\u00b0C, while humidity is around 49 per cent and wind speeds remain low at about 3km per hour. Officials said the absence of rainfall and weak air movement are limiting the natural dispersal of pollutants, allowing smog to linger and intensify.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lahore authorities have launched stricter anti-smog measures, including checks on uncovered cargo vehicles and smoke-emitting transport. The move comes as the city\u2019s AQI stays above 190 and weather conditions continue to trap pollutants. LAHORE: Authorities in Lahore have intensified enforcement measures to address worsening smog, with tighter checks on vehicles and transport operations as air […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7363,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7362","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-policy-governance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanaffairs.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7362","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanaffairs.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanaffairs.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanaffairs.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanaffairs.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7362"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanaffairs.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7362\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7364,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanaffairs.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7362\/revisions\/7364"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanaffairs.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7363"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistanaffairs.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7362"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanaffairs.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7362"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistanaffairs.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}