Lok Sabha Question No. 742 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-24
Subject: Controlling Vehicular Pollution
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Shri Anil Yeshwant Desai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 742 ANSWERED ON 24 th  JULY, 2025

## CONTROLLING VEHICULAR POLLUTION

## 742.  SHRI ANIL YESHWANT DESAI:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) the contribution of vehicles to pollution in the country;
- (b)  the  number  of  vehicles,  commercial  and  private,  in  the  four metropolitan  cities-Delhi,  Mumbai,  Kolkata  and  Chennai  and  the
- pollution index in these cities;
- (c)  whether there is any need to reduce the number of vehicles to control pollution and if so, whether the Government has taken any decisions  to  discourage  the  purchase  of  vehicles  and  if  so,  the details thereof; and
- (d)  whether  easy  and  cheap  vehicle  loans  provided  by  banks  are contributing to the increased ownership of vehicles in families and if so, the details of the steps taken to discourage this trend?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a)  Road  transport  accounted for about  12%  of  national  CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion in 2021. [Source: IEA & NITI

Aayog Report-Transitioning India's Road Transport Sector; Published: July: 2023]

- (b) The number of registered vehicles in four metropolitan cities are as under:
- (c)  1.  The  Government  has  taken  several  steps  to  control  and minimize air pollution caused by vehicles in the country which interalia include:
- (i) Notified Bharat Stage (BS) VI Emission limits including use of alternative  fuels  vide  G.S.R  889  dated  16.09.2016  to  reduce pollutants from motor vehicles.
- (ii)  Notified  E20  as  a  Mono  fuel  vide  G.S.R  27  (E),  dated  5th January, 2024 for all category of vehicles.
- (iii)  Notified  Hydrogen  as  a  fuel  vide  GSR  885(E)  dated  16th December 2022 for ICE BS-IV vehicles.
- (iv)  Notified  the  Vehicle  Scrapping  Policy  vide  G.S.R  720  dated 5th  October  2021  to  phase  out  older,  unfit  polluting  vehicles under the framework of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.
- (v)  Mandated  the  fitment  of  FASTAG  to  all  M  and  N  category vehicles  vide  G.S.R  1361  dated  2 nd   November  2017  to  reduce idling time at toll plazas, cutting fuel consumption and emissions.
2.  Government has taken following initiatives to promote adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the country:

| Name of the metropolitan City   |   Number registered commercial vehicles |   of Number of registered private vehicles |   Total number of vehicles |
|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|----------------------------|
| Delhi                           |                                 1243153 |                                   14244188 |                   15487341 |
| Mumbai                          |                                  709378 |                                    4917007 |                    5626385 |
| Kolkata                         |                                  484668 |                                    3247621 |                    3732289 |
| Chennai                         |                                  528430 |                                    5177469 |                    5705899 |
| Total                           |                                 2965629 |                                   27586285 |                   30551914 |

(i) Notification issued vide S.O. 5333(E) dated the 18th October, 2018 to grant exemption from the requirements of the permit to the battery operated transport vehicles. (ii) Notification issued vide G.S.R. 525(E) dated the 2nd August, 2021  to  grant  exemption  of  Battery  Operated  Vehicles  from payment  of  fees for the purpose  of issue or renewal  of registration  certificate  and  assignment  of  new  registration mark. (iii)  Notification issued vide G.S.R. 302(E) dated the 18th April, 2023  to  grant  All  India  Tourist  Permit  for  battery-operated vehicles without payment of permit fee. (iv)  Notification issued vide G.S.R. 167(E) dated the 1st March, 2019  to  facilitate  retro-fitment  of  hybrid  electric  system  or electric kit to vehicles. (v)  Notification issued vide G.S.R. 749(E) dated the 7th August 2018 enabling registration mark of Battery Operated Vehicles in Yellow  colour  on  Green  background  for  the  transport  vehicles and for all other cases, in White colour on Green background. (vi)  Further,  an  advisory  dated  12th  August  2020  has  been issued to all States and UTs regarding sale and registration of two-wheeled Electric Vehicles without batteries. (d) Banks take credit decisions as per their Board approved policies subject to overarching regulatory guidelines, including the instruction contained  in RBI's master  circular  on  'Loans  and Advances- Statutory and other Restrictions', and to meet legitimate credit needs of the customers.

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