Maharashtra’s potential to advance transport decarbonization and clean air through low-emission zones

In India, Maharashtra emerged as one of the pioneers of low-emission zones (LEZs) when it introduced its Electric Vehicle Policy in 2021. In the policy, six urban agglomerations—Mumbai, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad), Nagpur, Nashik, and Amravati—were tasked with creating LEZs to boost the adoption of zero-emission vehicles.

LEZs are designated areas where the entry of internal combustion engine vehicles operating with petrol, diesel, compressed natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas is either prohibited based on criteria such as vehicle age, emission standard, and fuel type or allowed only after charging a fee (the latter are called “priced LEZs”). Beyond promoting zero-emission vehicles, LEZs aim to achieve a wide range of objectives, including improving air quality and decarbonizing the transport sector by encouraging the use of public transport and other cleaner modes.

For more than a year, the ICCT has been supporting Pune, the neighboring city of Pimpri-Chinchwad, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in planning and implementing  LEZs. With each city, we conducted a study to evaluate the impact of establishing an LEZ in reducing vehicle tailpipe emissions using the citywide emission inventory approach outlined in the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). We also developed a timebound plan of action to implement vehicle restrictions in the LEZ. The geographical areas of the LEZs were mapped as part of the assessment based on city-specific factors such as air pollution levels, population exposure, vehicle density, and more.  The work to delineate the LEZ areas for Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad was supported by the Institute for Transport Development and Policy (ITDP), and in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, it was supported by the Urban Research Foundation (URF). Beyond restricting vehicle operations, our analysis also factored in the need for complementary measures to facilitate the transition from older, more polluting vehicles to cleaner, more efficient options.

Scope and high-level findings of the impact study 

The detailed results will be discussed in an upcoming ICCT study that outlines two LEZ options for Pimpri-Chinchwad:  one smaller and one bigger, with each designed to address emissions at different scales. This approach allows a city to choose its starting point based on readiness and ability to effectively enforce the LEZ. We modeled the potential emissions reduction using various vehicle-restriction scenarios and by considering drivers’ response in shifting from non-LEZ-compliant vehicles to LEZ-compliant options, compared with a no-LEZ scenario (this is the same as a Business-As-Usual scenario). The highest reductions in emissions were observed in the ambitious scenario that assumes a shift to zero-emission vehicles. The roadmap of action proposes investing the initial 2 years in planning and developing necessary support mechanisms for the LEZ, and it is enforced in the following years (2026 to 2030).

The findings recommend an LEZ covering varying portions of the city, 16% for the smaller and 48% for the larger. The projected cumulative emissions reduction within the LEZ areas, with an LEZ in effect from 2026 to 2030, are 22%–52% for particulate matter (PM) and 12%–43% for nitrogen oxides (NO_x), depending on the scenario considered. Although smaller, estimated carbon dioxide (CO₂) reductions were still noteworthy, reaching up to 15%.

What strategies are the cities adopting to implement LEZs?

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has integrated a priced LEZ citywide as part of its Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). GRAP is implemented in four phases, with increasingly stricter regulations applied during the times of year when air quality worsens; this is similar to Delhi’s Emergency Response Action Plan. For example, Pimpri-Chinchwad imposes Environmental Compensation Charges of ₹100–₹1,500 based on vehicle types to permit their operation during the GRAP phases. Phase 1 targets Bharat Stage (BS) III and older vehicles and successive phases extend the charge to BS IV vehicles. There is a broader impact with this measure because it applies citywide rather than just in a single zone. However, the GRAP regulations are implemented temporarily, as ad-hoc solutions until the air quality improves, and when the vehicle restrictions are lifted the operation of the older and high-emitting vehicles resumes without charge.

In Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, meanwhile, the municipal corporation is planning to integrate the LEZ into the city climate action plan. This is an opportunity to build expertise with LEZs by planning and implementing them as a year-round intervention.

Replicating the LEZ concept in other cities in Maharashtra 

There have been several climate-change-induced disasters in Maharashtra, and the state government recently issued a resolution mandating that 43 cities under the AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) scheme establish climate action cells at the city, district, and divisional levels. These cells are tasked with developing a comprehensive climate action plan for their regions and overseeing the progress of implementation. This directive came almost a year after the State Climate Action Cell was constituted by the Government of Maharashtra’s Department of Environment and Climate Change.

This policy lever can be leveraged to encourage all 43 cities to implement LEZs. Additionally, the state can issue general guidelines and best practices for LEZs by drawing on experience from cities in other regions and within Maharashtra that have adopted LEZs or LEZ-like interventions. The figure below illustrates one proposal of how various agencies and stakeholders could potentially collaborate to institutionalize the LEZ concept and implement LEZs across the entire state of Maharashtra.

Figure. Schematic of possible roles and responsibilities for planning and implementing LEZs in Maharashtra

LEZs have gained considerable traction in European countries, and the cities implementing them have seen improved air quality and reduced health issues. Additionally, in Madrid, Spain, an LEZ contributed to a significant increase in adopting cleaner and more efficient transport options. Examples like this have prompted the exploration of more stringent zero-emission zones.  

In India, LEZs are still an emerging concept, despite the existence of legal provisions supporting their implementation. As three cities in Maharashtra are among the first in India to endorse LEZs, they have a chance to be the trailblazers for LEZs statewide and to potentially set a benchmark for other regions of India.