Diesel cars may face ban in major Indian cities by 2027, govt panel proposes
India should ban the use of diesel-powered four-wheelers in all major cities across the country by 2027, an oil ministry panel has proposed. The proposal comes to promote cleaner mobility solutions. Reuters has reported that the panel has advocated in favour of switching to pure electric and gas-fuelled vehicles in those cities where more than a million people live. The panel has also reportedly proposed the ban on diesel four-wheelers in polluted towns nationwide to reduce vehicular emissions.
India is one of the major emitters of greenhouse gases, and vehicular emission contributes significantly to that. As part of its commitment towards the reduction of greenhouse gases, the Indian government has been taking several measures, and as a key contributor to overall emissions, the automobile industry too is facing several disruptive trends over the last few years. The latest proposal to ban all diesel four-wheelers in major cities and polluted towns across India comes as part of that strategy.
Also Read : Sweden to open world’s first permanently electrified road in 2025. Details here
Diesel currently accounts for about two-fifths of refined fuel consumption in India, with 80 per cent of that being used in the transport sector. While the commercial vehicle fleet of the country runs majorly on diesel, a large chunk of the passenger vehicles too run on the same fuel.
Also check these Cars
The panel reportedly said that by the end of this decade, no fossil-fuel-powered city buses should be added to the fleet. The panel has advocated in favour of adding only electric buses. "By 2030, no city buses should be added which are not electric...diesel buses for city transport should not be added from 2024 onwards," the panel reportedly said in the report. However, it is not clear if the oil and gas ministry will seek cabinet approval to implement these proposals.
The panel has also reportedly said that the government should consider a targeted extension of incentives for electric vehicles given under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles scheme (FAME) to beyond March 31. The panel believes such a measure would boost electric vehicle use in India.
