Indian cities are transforming their busiest areas into Low-Emission Zones, where polluting vehicles will not be allowed
We need to rethink our car rides to make our cities breathable again
India is rapidly advancing towards becoming a developed nation. Clear evidence of this is in the country’s strategic focus on infrastructure development. Roads are being built across the country, and millions of vehicles are populating them every year. Yet, there’s another side to it — the steeply deteriorating air quality that is responsible for millions of deaths and diseases.
Road transport accounts for 90 percent of pollution in the transport sector, which itself is a major contributor to air pollution. Exhaust from vehicles or tailpipe emissions is a major source of outdoor air pollution in our cities. According to a study conducted in 2015, New Delhi ranked 6th, Mumbai 27th, and Bengaluru 67th among cities worldwide in the number of premature deaths due to tailpipe pollution. The situation hasn’t improved much.
Low-emission zones (LEZs) are areas or zones in a city where polluting motor vehicles, which typically run on oil-based fuels, have restricted access.
Today, more than 140 Indian cities have high concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone, and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Road transport accounts for 90 percent of pollution in the transport sector, which itself is a major contributor to air pollution. If urgent interventions are not made, by 2040, NOx emissions from transport may increase by about 50% and fine particulate matter by about 100%, putting a heavy mortality burden on India due to air pollution.
What are Low-Emission Zones (LEZs)?
Low-emission zones (LEZs) are areas or zones in a city where polluting motor vehicles, which typically run on oil-based fuels, have restricted access.
“Curbing tailpipe emissions is the only effective way to cut down on air pollution. Every other measure is an intermediary solution. And the only way to do so is to restrict the plying of highly polluting vehicles.” — Vaibhav Kush, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), India.
On 19 February 2024, ICCT in collaboration with NITI Aayog conducted a national workshop in Delhi on LEZs where experts and urban planners discussed the future of LEZs in India. In his keynote address, Mr Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa for India and former CEO of NITI Aayog said, “We need to envision a concentric model of transport — people should be able to walk to bus stops, bus routes should feed into Metro, Metro should feed into regional rails, regional rails should feed into airports and national railways. This is key towards solving for not only emissions, but also congestion.”
Sudhendu J Sinha, adviser at NITI Aayog, emphasised on the consideration of practical and equity-related design challenges while addressing the workshop. He said, “We need to be aware of not just what happens inside, but also what happens outside low-emission zones.”
Where will your city’s Low-Emission Zones be located?
LEZs will be created around areas in the city that have higher road density and more traffic volume, such as commercial areas. So, take the busiest and liveliest areas of your city, and imagine them with very few vehicles.
Residents of Delhi have experienced restricted vehicular movement in the past through various criteria. This includes banning vehicles older than 15 years, implementing odd-even licence plate number rationing for road-space, and partially curbing vehicular movement during winters due to severe air quality. These efforts have been sporadic, temporary, and short-term, and have not led to any notable improvement in the city’s air quality.
LEZs, on the other hand, have to be established permanently, with more assertion, ambition, and planning.
Though this doesn’t mean that LEZs will only be implemented in metros and bigger Indian cities. Air pollution is off the charts in more than 140 cities in India. Muzaffarnagar’s PM2.5 concentration is only slightly less than that of New Delhi, yet the air pollution is not as “visible” as in the national capital.
Kush states that each city, big or not, comes with its own challenges. Prudence demands implementing policies to fight air pollution in as many cities as possible.
The question is, how are we going to restrict vehicles from entering major areas in a city? What are people going to do if they are not allowed to drive to their work, markets, schools, and so on?
Will LEZs curtail your movement?
To make any noticeable improvement, the rules for LEZs have to be more stringent and permanent. The question is, how are we going to restrict vehicles from entering major areas in a city with traffic snarls, choked roads, and vehicles that are spilling over footpaths and beyond? What are people going to do if they are not allowed to drive to their work, markets, schools, and so on?
“The acceptance of LEZs in any city by its residents depends on what supporting and complementary infrastructure is provided. We have observed that if people have reliable alternatives, like regular and punctual public transport, safe walking or cycling space, they are willing to accept LEZs,” says Kush.
Another study concludes that LEZs in Paris showed improved health among city residents and a notable reduction in asthma among children.
Have LEZs helped anywhere in the world?
LEZs are a new concept for Indian cities but have already shown promise and result in several European countries. In 2019, there were 228 LEZs across Europe. They restrict the most polluting vehicles; those that are old and/or have diesel engines.
Today, there are more than 320, and the number is steadily increasing. There has been a sustained momentum in not just creating LEZs but also making the rules stricter and transforming them into Zero Emission Zones (ZEZs), where only electric vehicles, cycles, and pedestrians are allowed.
A study on the impact of LEZs in London states, “Available evidence suggests observable health benefits from schemes restricting private vehicles in cities. Evidence for LEZs is most consistent for cardiovascular disease…” Another study concludes that LEZs in Paris showed improved health among city residents and a notable reduction in asthma among children.
“LEZs are a holistic solution to not only improve public health but also the overall quality of life. Poor air quality, traffic congestion, noise pollution, unsafe roads are just a handful of urban woes that LEZs can resolve, if executed effectively,” — Vaibhav Kush, ICCT, India.
How inconvenient are LEZs going to be for you?
For those who are highly dependent on the comforts of private vehicles, yes, LEZs may be inconvenient for you. Yet, it will bring significantly greater benefits in terms of health and quality of living. As Kush asserts, improved public transport, and first and last mile connectivity are the foundation on which Low-Emission Zones can be built.
If we want our future generations to breathe clean air, we have to shift to using sustainable modes of transport, like walking, cycling, public buses, metros, local trains, etc., and switch to electric vehicles. We need LEZs to expand their perimeter across the globe.
Which areas in your cities should be converted to LEZs? Tell us in the comments or write to us at sustainablemobilitynetwork@gmail.com.
