Pune admin mulls pollution charge for entry of old vehicles into Shivajinagar, Peth

In an effort to curb rising air pollution, the Pune district administration is discussing creating low emission zones (LEZ)in Shivajinagar and Peth areas of the city.

A proposal to levy a special pollution fee for the entry ofhigh-polluting vehiclesinto these designated zones is currently under consideration.

A daily pollution levy might be imposed on vehicles with Bharat Stage-3 (BS-III) or older stage engines for entry into these zones.

If this fee is not paid in advance, penal action will be initiated against vehicles found to be in violation of these regulations.

In the subsequent phase of this policy, the administration is considering extending this stipulation to BS-IV vehicles and expanding the low emission zone to encompass other parts of the city.

A meeting involving various organisations and officials from relevant departments was recently held at the District Collector’s office, said a press note by the District Information Office on March 15.

This included District Collector Jitendra Dudi,PuneMunicipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, Pune Municipal Corporation Chief Engineer Aniruddha Pavaskar, other senior officials from various departments, and traffic planning experts.

A proposal to enforce this regulatory framework through the use of surveillance cameras was also presented during the meeting.The press note said, “Various studies have clearly established that vehicular emissions are the primary cause of air pollution in Pune city.

According to a study conducted in 2020, it was found that vehicles account for approximately 46 percent of the total particulate matter (PM 2.5) pollution within the Pune metropolitan region.

These fine particulate matters are extremely hazardous to human health.”
“A survey conducted in 2023 revealed that approximately 70 percent of the petrol, diesel, and CNG-powered vehicles in the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad areas are equipped with ‘Bharat Stage-4’ or older engine technologies,” it added.The press note said that according to the studies, a single car registered prior to the year 2000 generates as much pollution as nearly 11 modern Bharat Stage-6 cars, while a single truck with older technology causes pollution equivalent to approximately 14 modern trucks.

It was also noted the particulate matter emissions from a Bharat Stage-6 diesel car are approximately 90 percent lower than those from a Bharat Stage-3 diesel car.

Walkability of city footpaths, strengthening the public transportation infrastructure, expanding bus services, and providing citizens with access to clean and alternative modes of transport were some other issues discussed in the meeting.