Delhi and nearby Gurugram have suffered the debilitating impacts of poor air quality for decades. The transport sector has been a major contributor to this form of air pollution. The study is part of the Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative, conducted in collaboration with authorities in Delhi and Gurugram, utilizing non-intrusive remote sensing technology to test the emissions of on-road vehicles 

This new study, Real-world motor vehicle exhaust emissions in Delhi and Gurugram using remote sensing, with technical analysis by the ICCT, offers insights into real-world tailpipe emissions from vehicles in Delhi and Gurugram and supports evidence-based policymaking to reduce vehicle pollution. 

Exhaust emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), and ultraviolet (UV) smoke, a proxy for particulate matter, were measured from several vehicle types: two- and three-wheelers, private cars, taxis, light goods vehicles (LGV), and buses. The campaign captured over 100,000 valid measurements across 20 sites in Delhi and Gurugram and uncovered important patterns that can guide the development of targeted and effective policies to combat traffic-related pollution.

“It is evident that real-world emissions from transport vehicles differ significantly from their laboratory values. For the first time in India, we have collected significant emissions data from motor vehicles on the road and it is crucial to remember that what impacts our air quality is not the laboratory emissions, but the pollutants released by these vehicles when they are in operation. Therefore, it's time to reimagine our emissions testing regime and aggressively push for the adoption of zero-emission vehicles,” said Amit Bhatt, India Managing Director ICCT.