Government to allow retrofit devices for polluting trucks & buses
The Indian government plans to allow the retrofitting of older trucks and buses with emission-control devices to reduce pollution. Minister Nitin Gadkari emphasized the need for affordable public transport solutions and criticized bureaucratic hurdles in implementing new infrastructure.
Why it matters
This initiative aims to improve air quality in India by upgrading existing heavy vehicle fleets at a lower cost than full replacement.
NEW DELHI: In a fresh push to curb vehicular pollution, govt will soon allow old polluting trucks and buses to be fitted with retrofit emission-control devices (RECDs) that can reduce particulate matter emissions by up to 90% and nitrogen oxide emissions by 60%. Road transport minister Nitin Gadkari announced the measure Thursday, a move that will complement govt's scrappage and replacement programme for ageing heavy vehicles.Speaking at an event organised by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), Gadkari said the device, developed from an innovation at IIT-Delhi, has been successfully tested. Once retrofitted in BS-IV, BS-III and older diesel vehicles, it can bring their emissions on a par with BS-VI standards. Similar devices have already been installed in diesel generator sets to reduce pollution.
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