BS-III, BS-IV trucks contribute 62% of Delhi's daily PM2.5 emissions: Report

BS-III and BS-IV trucks account for 62 per cent of the total PM2.5 emitted by trucks entering Delhi every day, according to an analysis report released on Monday. The report said trucks coming into the city emit a total of 52.18 kg of PM2.5 daily.

The study, titled 'Towards Cleaner Freight in Delhi: Assessing Interstate Truck Emissions and Mitigation Strategies', was carried out by the Air Pollution Action Group, the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and The Energy and Resources Institute. It said nearly 16,900 heavy-duty trucks enter Delhi every day, and suggested measures including a low-emission zone to phase out high-emitting vehicles by 2027.

According to the report, BS-IV trucks account for 14.47 kg of PM2.5 emissions a day, BS-III trucks for 17.9 kg, and BS-VI trucks for 19.81 kg. It also said about 62 per cent of the heavy-duty trucks entering Delhi comply with BS-VI norms, followed by 28 per cent BS-IV and 10 per cent BS-III or older.

The analysis found that heavy-duty trucks entering Delhi account for 23 per cent of total daily transport emissions. Their share rises sharply to 61 per cent during the early morning and night-time hours. It also found that 92 per cent of these trucks report Delhi as their destination, while only 8 per cent identify themselves as bypass or transit traffic. Even among these, the majority both originate from and are destined for the National Capital Region states.

In a statement, TERI Associate Director Dr Anju Goel said, "Freight movement does not respect city boundaries. The majority of trucks entering Delhi originate from and return to NCR states, meaning Delhi alone cannot solve this problem. Policymakers at both the central and state levels need to align on a common, data-backed roadmap."

Based on its findings, the report made seven recommendations. Among them, it called for restricting entry through a low-emission zone to BS-VI, CNG and EV trucks to eliminate high-emitting vehicles by 2027.

According to the report, this could reduce PM2.5 emissions by 51 per cent by 2027. Overall, the study said older trucks remain a major source of pollution in Delhi and called for a regional, coordinated response.

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