Bharat Stage(BS)-IV
emission norms for vehicles shall be mandated in India for two wheelers
manufactured on or after April 1, 2016
for new types of vehicles models. Exactly a year later from April 1, 2017 this
norm will be mandated for existing types of vehicle models. This was informed
by Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Pon. Radhakrishnan in the
Lok Sabha on December 18. 2014.
He said that BS-V
and BS-VI norms may be introduced throughout the country depending on
availability of fuel. The emission norms are applicable for both transport and
non-transport vehicles.
The Minister
informed that for four wheeled vehicles, BS-IV emission norms have been
mandated in the National Capital Region and in the cities of Mumbai, Kolkata,
Chennai, Ahmadabad, Hyderabad (including Secunderabad), Bangalore, Kanpur,
Pune, Surat, Agra, Sholapur, Lucknow since 2010.
Bharat Stage-IV
emission norms have been applicable in the cities of Puducherry, Mathura, Vapi,
Jamnagar, Ankaleshwar, Hissar, Bharatpur, Daman Diu, Silvasa, Unnao, Rae
Bareilly, Aligarh, Karnal, Valsad, Yamuna Nagar, Kurukshetra, Nizamabad, Medak
and Mehboobnagar in respect of four wheeled vehicles manufactured since October
1, 2014, except the four-wheeled transport vehicles plying on Inter-State
Permits or National Permit or All India Tourist Permits, within the
jurisdiction of the said cities.
The Minister also
informed the House that the Sustainable Urban Transport Project (SUTP) is expected
to be completed by November, 2015. The Project has been launched with
assistance from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), UNDP and the World Bank
to achieve a paradigm shift in India’s urban transport systems in favour of
sustainable development besides ensuring that environmental considerations are
taken care of. It has been in operation since May, 2010.
The Ministry
of Urban Development came out with a comprehensive National Urban Transport
Policy (NUTP) in 2006 with the objective to ensure safe, affordable, quick,
comfortable, reliable and sustainable access for the growing number of city
residents to jobs, education, recreation and such other needs within our
cities. This is sought to be achieved, inter-alia, by:
• Reducing
pollution levels through changes in traveling practices, better enforcement,
stricter norms, technological improvements, etc.
• Promoting
the use of cleaner technologies
• Encourage
greater use of public transport and non-motorized modes by offering Central
financial assistance for this purpose
•Introducing
Intelligent Transport Systems for traffic management