Vehicular emissions top contributor to pollution in Capital, says report

Delhi’s air quality crisis persists, with vehicular pollution remaining a major contributor despite several emission-reduction initiatives, according to a report published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Wednesday.

The CSE report emphasised that technological advancements alone cannot counteract the severe congestion and rapid motorisation that are undermining efforts to improve air quality.

Although measures such as Bharat Stage 6 standards, ban on older vehicles and the world’s largest CNG programme have been implemented, pollution levels remain high.

“The annual PM2.5 levels improved by only 7 per cent from 2019 to 2023, and winter pollution is worse than ever, reaching a five-year peak. During periods without external pollution, local sources, especially vehicles, dominate, with studies showing the transport sector contributes up to 41 per cent of PM2.5 emissions,” the report said.

The number of vehicles in the Capital is rapidly rising, with 7.9 million registered vehicles and 1,600 new vehicles added daily. Two-wheelers and cars account for over 90 per cent of these registrations, further exacerbating traffic congestion and pollution. Severe congestion increases emissions, with NO2 levels spiking during traffic slowdowns, it added.

Urban sprawl has also lengthened travel distances, pushing more people towards private vehicle use and straining the city’s under-resourced public transport system.

“Public transportation, particularly buses, remains inadequate. Despite the Supreme Court’s directive to run 10,000 buses, only 7,683 operate, and ridership is still below pre-pandemic levels. The Metro’s recovery has been better, but high travel costs and inconvenient transfers deter widespread use. Public transport costs often surpass those of private vehicles, and poor infrastructure for walking and cycling further discourages sustainable commuting,” report further said.

Parking management is also lacking, with unenforced policies failing to control the excessive use of private cars, the report said.