Skip to main content

Delhi’s plan to cut pollution

The authorities in Indian capital Delhi are keen to cut pollution in the city. Delhi currently ranks as one of the worst in the world for air pollution, with vehicles, power generation and industry as three of the prime causes of the problem. The next step being made will be to restrict drivers from using their vehicles to alternate days, depending on whether the licence plate has an odd or even number. This approach has been used already in a number of cities such as Lagos and Beijing to cut congestion and
December 9, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
The authorities in Indian capital Delhi are keen to cut pollution in the city. Delhi currently ranks as one of the worst in the world for air pollution, with vehicles, power generation and industry as three of the prime causes of the problem. The next step being made will be to restrict drivers from using their vehicles to alternate days, depending on whether the licence plate has an odd or even number. This approach has been used already in a number of cities such as Lagos and Beijing to cut congestion and pollution levels.

The scheme in Delhi will have its detractors but is seen as essential to help reduce the city’s chronic pollution problem. The city’s coal-fired power station is also to be shut down in a bid to further address the issue. In addition to exhaust emissions and industry, the smoke from fires provides another key source of the air pollution. The city is now ranked as having the worst air quality of any in the world, having surpassed Beijing for this dubious honour. Mumbai and Hyderabad also suffer severe pollution but no measures have so far been announced for these cities.

In the future, vehicles being operated in Delhi will have to meet the Euro VI emissions legislation and this measure will be implemented from 2017. In past years diesel vehicles were required to run on gas in a bid to cut pollution. But even this measure has had an insufficient effect on improving air quality in recent times.

Related Content

  • Connected vehicles: implications for road networks and mobility
    May 15, 2019
    Mobility services are expected to undergo spectacular changes within the next two decades with the introduction and widespread use of connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology. However, the transition phase from human driving to self-driving will be gradual, requiring incremental interventions on the physical and digital road network to allow it to cope with mixed vehicular traffic. Cities such as Dubai have embraced the challenge by setting a target to reach 25% driverless trips by 2030 as part o
  • Smoother surfaces
    September 11, 2014
    Efficient new soil compaction machines featuring the latest technology are now coming to market – Mike Woof reports The start of 2014 has seen a major development for the construction equipment sector, with the Tier 4 Final emissions requirements at last beginning to take effect. The implications of the drive towards the introduction of low emission engine technology have been seen right across the off-highway machinery equipment industry, and the soil compaction segment is no exception.
  • Bilbao plan to cut congestion
    May 15, 2018
    Bilbao in northern Spain is suffering from increasing levels of vehicle congestion, a problem the city authorities intend to tackle. Two major civil engineering projects have been proposed in a bid to address the problem. One of the projects would be to drive a 3km tunnel under the main estuary, improving transport and traffic flow between the north and south of the city. The tender process for a feasibility study into this project I being put to tender. Meanwhile the second major project proposed would be
  • SANY Road Machinery is looking to increase export levels
    March 4, 2015
    SANY Road Machinery says that its machines offer customers a very good return on investment - Mike Woof writes. SANY Road Machinery looks set to boost its profile outside of China. The company has been focussed on the Chinese home market in recent years, due to the massive highway expansion programme in the country. However with 80% of the country’s highway construction programme now complete, SANY Road Machinery is looking to further develop its export business. Wang Zuochun is senior vice president at SAN