Source : PTI | The Maharashtra government has formed a seven-member committee to explore the possibility of banning petrol and diesel vehicles in Mumbai Metropolitan Region and allowing only CNG and electric vehicles in view of the city’s worsening air quality. The panel, headed by retired IAS officer Sudhir Kumar Shrivastava, will study and submit a report with its recommendations within three months, as per the government resolution (GR) dated January 22.
Maharashtra’s transport commissioner, Mumbai’s joint police commissioner (traffic), managing director of the Mahanagar Gas Limited, project manager of the Maharashtra State Power Distribution Company Limited (Mahavitaran), president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), and joint transport commissioner (enforcement-1) as member secretary are the other panellists.
The GR stated that the committee is empowered to include experts in the field as fellow members and get feedback from them.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) also comprises areas in the neighbouring Thane, Raigad and Palghar districts.
Hearing a suo-motu (on its own) Public Interest Litigation on January 9, the Bombay High Court expressed serious concerns over the traffic congestion and increasing pollution in Mumbai city and their negative impact on the quality of life, environment and overall sustainability.
The HC pointed out that vehicular emissions are a major source of air pollution, noting that the current measures to control the number of vehicles and pollution in Mumbai are proving inadequate.
Acting on the HC’s observations, the state government has formed a committee of experts to study and submit a report on the feasibility of imposing a ban on petrol and diesel vehicles in MMR and allowing only CNG and electric vehicles.
The high court had also said that automobiles choking Mumbai’s roads were a major contributor to the city’s worsening air quality.
It emphasised the need for a thorough study to be conducted on whether it would be “appropriate or feasible to phase out diesel and petrol-driven vehicles”.
The high court said the committee that would be formed by the government shall conduct its study within three months and submit its report.
The Maharashtra government had constituted the VM Lal Committee more than two decades ago to address the issue of vehicular pollution in Mumbai.
The panel was tasked to identify the sources of pollution and its impact on public health and suggest measures to reduce air pollution caused by vehicles.
A total of 48 lakh vehicles have been registered at four RTO offices in Mumbai, while more than 2 lakh new vehicles, including two-wheelers and cars, hit the roads every year.
Out of 2.54 lakh vehicles registered at these four RTOs in 2024, 66,873 vehicles were registered at Tardeo RTO (MH01), 66,692 at Wadala RTO (MH 03), 64,766 at Borivali RTO (MH 47), and 55,967 at Andheri RTO (MH 01), as per data.
According to Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar, over 29 lakh vehicles were registered across all RTOs in the state, taking the overall count to 3.80 crore.
He said the number of registered vehicles in Maharashtra is likely to touch the six crore mark by 2030 and probably 15 crore by 2035, with an annual growth rate of 6-8 per cent.
