Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Transport and Urban Air Pollution in India

  • PROFILE
  • Published:
Environmental Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

ABSTRACT

The rapid growth in motor vehicle activity in India and other rapidly industrializing low-income countries is contributing to high levels of urban air pollution, among other adverse socioeconomic, environmental, health, and welfare impacts. This paper first discusses the local, regional, and global impacts associated with air pollutant emissions resulting from motor vehicle activity, and the technological, behavioral, and institutional factors that have contributed to these emissions, in India. The paper then discusses some implementation issues related to various policy measures that have been undertaken, and the challenges of the policy context. Finally, the paper presents insights and lessons based on the recent Indian experience, for better understanding and more effectively addressing the transport air pollution problem in India and similar countries, in a way that is sensitive to their needs, capabilities, and constraints.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  • Badami, M. G. 2001. A multiple-objectives approach to address motorized two-wheeled vehicle emissions in Delhi, India. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 321 pp

  • British Broadcasting Corporation. 2002. Delhi’s commuter agony. BBC, London; available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1920481.stm

  • Bureau of Indian Standards. 1995a. Motor gasolines–Specification, IS 2796: 1995, Second Revision. BIS, New Delhi, 21 pp

  • Bureau of Indian Standards. 1995b. Diesel fuels–Specification, IS 1460: 1995, Third Revision. BIS, New Delhi, 9 pp

  • Bureau of Indian Standards. 2000a. Motor gasolines–Specification, IS 2796: 2000, Third Revision, with amendments. BIS, New Delhi, 37 pp

  • Bureau of Indian Standards. 2000b. Diesel fuels–Specification, IS 1460: 2000, Fourth Revision, with amendments. BIS, New Delhi, 13 pp

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameCentral Pollution Control Board (1996) Ambient air quality-Status and statistics (1993-1994) CPCB New Delhi 207

    Google Scholar 

  • Central Pollution Control Board. 2004. Ambient air quality data, CPCB. New Delhi; available at http://cpcb.delhi. nic.in/bulletin/ito/2003/01_0712.html

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameCentre for Science and Environment (1996) Slow murder-The deadly story of vehicular pollution in India CSE New Delhi 148

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameCentre for Science and Environment (2002) State of India’s environment–The Citizens’ Fifth Report, Part I: National overview. October 2002 Reprint CSE New Delhi, 440

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameDelhi Development Authority (1996) Master plan for Delhi DDA New Delhi, 181

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Faiz C. Weaver K. Sinha M. Walsh J. Carbajo (1992) Air pollution from motor vehicles: issues and options for developing countries The World Bank Washington, DC, 280

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Faiz C. S. Weaver M. P. Walsh S. Gautam L.-M. Chan (1996) Air pollution from motor vehicles: standards and technologies for controlling emissions The World Bank Washington, DC, 246

    Google Scholar 

  • Government of India. 2002. The Gazette of India: Extraordinary (Part I–Sec. I), New Delhi, Resolution No. P-45018/28/2000-C. C., September 3, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India, New Delhi, available at http://www.ethanolindia.net/ethanol_govt.html

  • A. Grübler (1994) The transportation sector: growing demand and emissions R. Krishnan (Eds) Growing numbers and dwindling resources Tata Energy Research Institute New Delhi 44–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Humberto Bravo, A., J. R. Torres, and E. R. Sosa. 1991. Motor vehicle pollution control in Mexico City. SAE Technical Paper No. 912426. Society of Automotive Engineers, Warrendale, PA, 6 pp

  • Indian Institute of Petroleum. 1994. Vehicle emissions and control perspectives in India-A state of the art report. Report prepared for the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. IIP, Dehra Dun, 170 pp

  • Iyer, N. V. 2002. Submission to Discussion Forum on Enforcing Emission Standards for In-Use Vehicles, July 11, The World Bank, Washington, DC; available at http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/SAR/sa.nsf/All/2F391E72031478F6

  • Iyer, N. V., and T. M. Balaraman. 1997. Personal communication. Bajaj Auto Limited, Pune

  • M. Kojima C. Brandon J. Shah (2000) Improving urban air quality in South Asia by reducing emissions from two-stroke engine vehicles The World Bank, South Asia Environment Unit Washington, DC, 46

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, R. 2002. Submission to Discussion Forum on Enforcing Emission Standards for In-Use Vehicles, July 17, The World Bank, Washington, DC; available at http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/SAR/sa.nsf/All/2F391E72031478F6

  • D. Mohan G. Tiwari R. Saraf S. G. Deshmukh S. R. Kale S. Wadhwa G. V. Soumitri (1997) Delhi on the move 2005: Future traffic management scenarios. Report prepared for CPCB Indian Institute of Technology New Delhi, 224

    Google Scholar 

  • Mohan, D. 2002. CNG: A big mistake? The Economic Times, April 16

  • Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. 2004. Motor transport statistics, MORTH. Government of India, New Delhi, available at http://morth.nic.in/mts.htm

  • Ministry of Surface Transport. 1996. Notification of 1996 motor vehicle emission standards. MoST, Government of India, New Delhi, 5 pp

  • National Capital Territory of Delhi. 2004. Motor vehicle statistics. Transport Department, Government of NCTD, New Delhi; available at http://transport.delhigovt.nic.in/info/info8.html

  • Raje, N. R., and R. K. Malhotra. 1997. Personal communication. Indian Oil Corporation R&D Centre, Faridabad

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameRail India Technical and Economic Services Limited and Operations Research Group (1994) Household travel surveys in Delhi. Final Report RITES and ORG New Delhi and Baroda, 330

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Roychowdhury (1997) ArticleTitleOzone: the other angle Down to Earth 6 IssueID14 20–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Roychowdhury, A. 2002. Submission to Discussion Forum on Enforcing Emission Standards for In-Use Vehicles, July 17, The World Bank, Washington, DC; available at http://lnweb18.worldbank.org/SAR/sa.nsf/All/2F391E72031478F6

  • J. Sathaye S. Tyler N. Goldman (1994) ArticleTitleTransportation, fuel use and air quality in Asian cities Energy 19 IssueID5 573–586 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0360-5442(94)90053-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. J. Shah T. Nagpal (1997) Urban air quality management strategy in Asia-Greater Mumbai report. World Bank Technical Paper No. 381 The World Bank Washington, DC, 227

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameSociety of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (2002) The Indian automobile industry. Statistical profile 2000-2001 SIAM New Delhi, 132

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameTata Energy Research Institute (1997) TERI energy data directory and yearbook 1997/98 TERI New Delhi, 286

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameTata Energy Research Institute (2002) TERI energy data directory and yearbook 2001/2002 TERI New Delhi, 454

    Google Scholar 

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameUnited Nations Population Division (2002) World urbanization prospects—The 2001 revision, data tables and highlights UN Population Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations Secretariat New York, 182

    Google Scholar 

  • Walsh, M. P. 1994. Trends in automotive transport: implications for environmental protection, energy efficiency and sustainable development. Paper presented at the International Conference Toward Clean Transport: Fuel Efficient and Clean Motor Vehicles, Mexico City, March 28–30

  • InstitutionalAuthorNameWorld Health Organization and United Nations Environment Programme (1992) Urban air pollution in megacities of the world Blackwell Publishers Oxford 155–164

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank. 2003. Annex 3–Trends in vehicle emission standards and fuel specifications in the European Union. Draft for comment. The World Bank, Washington, DC; available at http://www.worldbank.org/cleanair/global/documents/handbook03/handbook_annex3.pdf

Download references

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to the International Development Research Centre, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the University of British Columbia, the Research Grants Office of McGill University, and the Center for Integrated Study of Human Dimensions of Global Change (created through a cooperative agreement between the National Science Foundation [SBR-9521914] and Carnegie Mellon University) for supporting my research. I thank the Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Programme at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, and the Tata Energy Research Institute for hosting me during my fieldwork, and the Madras Institute of Development Studies, where this paper was revised.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Urban Planning andMcGill School of Environment, McGill University, Macdonald-Harrington Building815 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2K6, Canada

    Madhav G. Badami

Authors
  1. Madhav G. Badami
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Madhav G. Badami.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Badami, M.G. Transport and Urban Air Pollution in India. Environmental Management 36, 195–204 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-004-0106-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-004-0106-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation