Mumbai Air Pollution: Maharashtra Govt Forms Seven-Member Committee to Explore Ban on Petrol and Diesel Vehicles

In response to the deteriorating air quality in Mumbai, the Maharashtra government has formed a seven-member committee to evaluate the feasibility of banning petrol and diesel vehicles in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The panel, chaired by retired IAS officer Sudhir Kumar Shrivastava, will examine the potential for allowing only CNG and electric vehicles. According to the government resolution (GR) issued on January 22, the committee is tasked with submitting its recommendations within three months.

The committee will also include Maharashtra's Transport Commissioner, Mumbai's Joint Police Commissioner (Traffic), the Managing Director of Mahanagar Gas Limited, the Project Manager of Maharashtra State Power Distribution Company Limited (Mahavitaran), the President of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), and the Joint Transport Commissioner (Enforcement-1) as the Member Secretary.

As per the government resolution (GR), the committee has been granted the authority to include experts in the field as fellow members and seek their feedback. The MMR encompasses not only Mumbai but also parts of the neighboring Thane, Raigad, and Palghar districts.

While hearing suo-motu (on its own) a Public Interest Litigation on January 9, the Bombay High Court expressed serious concerns over the traffic congestion and increasing pollution in Mumbai city and their negative impact on the quality of life, environment and overall sustainability.

The Bombay High Court had highlighted that vehicular emissions are a significant contributor to air pollution and observed that current efforts to control vehicle numbers and pollution in Mumbai are insufficient. In response, the state government has constituted a committee of experts to assess the feasibility of banning petrol and diesel vehicles in the Mumbai Metropolitan Area and permitting only CNG and electric vehicles. The committee is tasked with studying the issue and submitting a report with its findings.