Conducted in the month of October 2024, the study revealed that agricultural practices, like stubble burning contributed only 1-2% of Delhi’s total air pollution over the month, while vehicular emissions accounted for a significant 14.2% of pollution. At the same time, stubble burning has received a much large amount of media attention lately as a contributor to the country’s smog and air quality crisis. Nevertheless, vehicle emissions remain the single most identifiable, yet more systemic, contributor to the nation’s poor air quality, negatively affecting Indian cities year-round.

In fact, studies released year after year indicate how rapidly the situation is deteriorating in India. A recent Greenpeace report spotlights the alarming situation in South Indian cities specifically, which were believed to have cleaner air compared to other regions. The data from this report suggests the PM2.5 level in these cities is also no better for living standards, with a few cities like Hyderabad, Chennai, and Visakhapatnam seeing levels up to ten times higher particulates than standards set by the World Health Organization. Addressing this urgent challenge requires a reshaping of transport practices and policies across Indian cities.

While the sustainable transport sector has long advocated for walking, cycling, public transport, and clean vehicle technology as solutions, it is clear that reducing vehicular pollution requires a multifaceted approach beyond that. According to ITDP India, there are several key strategies cities need to adopt right now to tackle the rapid growth in motor vehicle pollution and emissions. Some of these actions have already been implemented in cities like Pimpri Chinchwad, demonstrating that change is possible.

1) Shifting to sustainable modes such as walking, cycling, and public transport 

First, cities should focus on creating comprehensive networks of footpaths and cycle tracks that support alternatives to private vehicle use. A well-connected network makes sustainable transport options more convenient and accessible, encouraging people to shift to these modes. However, providing just infrastructure may not be enough in most cases. Cities must also invest in raising awareness through campaigns to nudge behavior change. Policies and legislative reforms are also crucial to embedding these practices into the city’s fabric.

What’s a good model to emulate? Many global cities, such as Singapore, have initiated the concept of 15-minute neighborhoods and cities. Some Indian cities have been leveraging existing initiatives like the Harit Setu project in Pimpri Chinchwad, which aims to enhance walking and cycling infrastructure in the city. Here, the plan is to make a network of connected footpaths and cycling tracks within smaller neighborhoods across the city so that people can simply opt to walk or cycle for short distances. Through such interventions, they also get sustainable options for last- mile connectivity.

While walking and cycling provide a sustainable alternative for short trips, they alone will not reduce congestion or pollution. For longer trips, more and better buses which connect the many networks of roads are the need of the hour to alleviate pollution and congestion. Moreover, improving bus services, including their frequency, reliability, and coverage, is crucial. Buses should seamlessly integrate with other transport modes, such as metro systems, footpaths, and cycle tracks, creating a comprehensive and efficient transport network.

2) Incentivizing people to use cleaner vehicles

Alongside promoting sustainable modes of transport, cities need to encourage the use of cleaner vehicles. This can be done in three ways: transitioning to cleaner technologies, scrapping older polluting vehicles, and building robust electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. India has already taken a step in this direction by adopting Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) emission standards, which significantly reduce emissions from new vehicles. However, cities can push this further by promoting EVs to individuals. Local governments should implement strong scrappage policies that encourage owners of older, polluting vehicles to retire and scrap them in exchange for financial benefits or rebates on EVs.

Cities also need to upscale their EV infrastructure, particularly by setting up widespread charging stations. A comprehensive EV Readiness Plan can guide cities in developing this infrastructure and ensuring that the transition to EVs is smooth and well-supported. Also, in Pimpri Chinchwad, the city’s Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan 2023 outlines some of these actions by setting a goal of having 30% of the new vehicle registrations in city shift to EV by 2026.

The city is doing so by establishing 100 EV charging stations and offering incentives for e-auto drivers. Property tax rebates are also being offered to those setting up charging point in their properties.  Furthermore, the PCMC’s and Pune’s shared bus service, Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal (PMPML), already operates 473 e-buses — India’s third-largest fleet — and is continuing to expand its fleet. By uniting improved vehicle technologies and emission reductions through public transport, cities can reduce pollution and set the stage for a future where EVs become the primary vehicles on the road.

3) Discouraging the use of personal vehicles through pricing parking and LEZs

Cities must make it harder for people to rely on private vehicles, especially older, polluting models. Two effective ways to achieve this are by improving on and off-street pricing parking and establishing low emission zones (LEZs), or designated areas where motor vehicles are limited. Proper parking management can reduce the number of vehicles on the road by making it expensive to park in public spaces. When parking fees are levied, people think twice before using their cars, potentially avoiding the trip, opting for shorter trips, using public transport or finding other alternative solutions instead. This approach not only discourages unnecessary vehicle use but also frees up critical street space for creating vibrant public spaces on street.

Effective parking management can deter vehicle use, while LEZs take it a step further by restricting the most polluting vehicles from entering key areas. Together, they provide a strong mechanism to reduce vehicular emissions. In an LEZ, only vehicles with low or zero emissions — such as electric vehicles or those that meet the recommended emission standards — are allowed to enter. LEZs can be city-wide or focused on strategically selected areas, making them an effective tool for cutting emissions in densely populated regions.

For instance, in cities like London there has been a drastic reduction in emissions. As per the city’s Mayor’s report, London’s ULEZ has led to a 44% reduction in nitrogen dioxide levels and a roughly 30% decrease in traffic in central areas, alongside a 21% increase in cycling, over the past few years.  Similarly, in India, a study by ITDP India and ICCT in Pimpri Chinchwad found that restricting pre-BS-VI vehicles in a designated LEZ could reduce PM 2.5 emissions by up to 91% within a year (if all the pre-BS-VI users switch to EVs). Without such measures, pollution levels will decrease by only 50% in the next five years, under current practices.

While these recommendations provide a high-level strategy for combatting vehicular emissions, public acknowledgement of the role of private vehicles in the pollution crisis is the critical first step. Of course, factors like resource constraints, community input, equity concerns, and political will all add layers of complexity to achieving changes to the existing car culture in our cities. But the world is at a point where we can no longer afford to ignore the extreme impacts of fossil fuel-burning transport on our climate and health.