Urgent need for efficient public transport system, say researchers

Vehicular pollution exceeds emissions by other sectors like industry and biomass.

Vehicular pollution exceeds emissions by other sectors like industry and biomass.

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The National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI study also points out that heavy-duty vehicles such as buses and trucks are the biggest emitters amongst all vehicles.

Take nitrogen oxide for instance, heavy-duty vehicles are responsible for 75 per cent of these emissions. But researchers point out that if you calculate the total number people ferried by buses as compared to cars or bikes the per capita emissions by buses is less than private wheels.

“If cars are replaced with efficient public transport system, one bus can make up for emissions of at least 30 cars,” Kumar pointed out.
Already air pollution in the city is way above the permissible standards. For example, suspended particulate matter in a residential area like Colaba touched the permissible limit of 200 pg/m3 in the period 2007 to 2008.

In suburbs like Dadar, Khar and Andheri pollution levels have crossed the permissible limit by at least 100pg/m3.“Sustainable transport scenario will have to consider mass rapid transit system through combination of rail, road or sea route,” added Kumar.