In a bold move to combat Mumbai’s deteriorating air quality, the Maharashtra government has formed a seven-member committee to explore the possibility of phasing out petrol and diesel vehicles in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and permitting only CNG and electric vehicles. The panel, chaired by retired IAS officer Sudhir Kumar Shrivastava, has been given three months to study the feasibility and submit recommendations, as per a government resolution (GR) dated January 22.
The committee includes Maharashtra’s transport commissioner, Mumbai’s joint police commissioner (traffic), and key representatives from Mahanagar Gas Limited, Maharashtra State Power Distribution Company (Mahavitaran), and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). The GR also allows the panel to consult experts and gather feedback.
This initiative follows the Bombay High Court’s suo-motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) hearing on January 9, where the court raised concerns about traffic congestion and rising pollution levels, emphasizing that vehicular emissions were a major contributor. The HC observed that existing measures to control pollution in Mumbai were proving inadequate and stressed the need for a thorough study on whether phasing out fuel-powered vehicles was feasible.
The MMR, which includes parts of Thane, Raigad, and Palghar, has seen a massive surge in vehicles. Mumbai alone has 48 lakh registered vehicles, with over two lakh new vehicles hitting the roads annually. In 2024, 2.54 lakh vehicles were registered across Mumbai’s four RTOs. Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar stated that vehicle registrations statewide have exceeded 3.80 crore and are projected to reach six crore by 2030 and 15 crore by 2035.
Over two decades ago, the Maharashtra government had set up the VM Lal Committee to study vehicular pollution in Mumbai. Now, with pollution levels rising and the High Court taking a strong stance, the new expert panel will determine whether banning petrol and diesel vehicles is a viable step for a cleaner future.
