The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on Friday announced that starting November 1, only electric, CNG and BS VI-compliant diesel buses will be allowed to operate between Delhi and cities and towns in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan falling within the National Capital Region (NCR).
The curbs aim to reduce air pollution during the period when air quality is typically at its worst due to calm pre-winter weather and farm fires. The commission has set deadlines of June 2026 and June 2028 for states to transition their bus fleets to electric and CNG power.
“An Advisory dated 19.07.2023 was also issued by the Commission with the prime objective to ensure that with effect from 01.11.2023, all buses originating from NCR areas in the respective states and travelling to Delhi are either electric vehicles, or CNG or BS-VI Diesel,” the CAQM said on Friday.
Uttar Pradesh has planned to procure more than 1650 new BS-VI diesel buses in 2023-24. Haryana has plans to procure 1,313 new BS VI diesel buses in 2023 which will replace the old BS-III and BS-IV buses. These older buses will be relocated to non-NCR bus depots. Likewise, the Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation plans to procure 590 buses this year to transform its current fleet while UP plans to induct 955 new BS VI buses in 3-4 years.
To this end, the central air quality panel has issued directives to the governments of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh to implement a comprehensive plan aimed at enhancing the efficiency and environmental friendliness of inter-city and inter-state bus services serving Delhi and other cities/towns in NCR.
This measure aims to combat air pollution caused by diesel-powered buses operating in the region, with the ultimate goal of transitioning to electric vehicles. In an effort to reduce pollution levels, the Centre had announced in April 2020 that all vehicles sold in India must comply with Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) emission standards.
“In effect, November 1, 2023 bulk of bus services from any city / town in the States of Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to Delhi shall be only with EV/ CNG/ BS-VI Diesel buses. Operation of only EV/ CNG/ BS-VI Diesel buses in the entire NCR is also expected to be in effect from 01.07.2024,” the CAQM said.
“Further, Transport Department/ Traffic Police Department of Delhi government and all the NCR States have been accordingly directed to ensure strict compliance through regular monitoring of the field level implementation, including for bus services being operated by State PSUs and private entities etc,” it added.
Bharat Stage emission standards set legal limits on the amount of air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and particulate matter, that vehicles in India can emit.
These standards focus on improving emission control, fuel efficiency, and engine design.
As vehicle manufacturers provide vehicles that meet these new norms, oil companies supply fuel that adheres to BS-VI standards, known as the world's cleanest fuel.
The Commission has held a series of meetings with the NCR States for developing detailed action plans for shifting to cleaner bus services in NCR, focusing that bus services in the entire NCR to be targeted for EVs in the long-term (within 5 years), through EVs / CNG buses in the medium-term (within 3 years) and in the interim through EVs / CNG/ BS-VI diesel buses.
Experts said that while the transition to a cleaner transport option is a good move, it needs to be a quick one to be effective.