Cleaner BS-VI vehicles now outnumber others on Kol roads

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Kolkata: The city has achieved a significant milestone in its journey towards cleaner air, as the number of Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) vehicles in the city now surpasses Bharat Stage IV (BS-IV) models for the first time. According to recent automobile data, nearly 4 lakh BS-VI vehicles were registered across the city’s four regional transport offices — PVD, Kasba, Behala, and Salt Lake.
As of Feb 2024, Kolkata recorded 3.9 lakh BS-VI vehicles compared to 3.4 lakh BS-IV vehicles. The transition to stricter emission norms also led to a notable decline in older, more polluting vehicles, with BS-III, BS-II, and BS-I vehicles now numbering 2 lakh, 1.7 lakh, and 2,507 respectively.
The BS-VI emission norms came into effect in India on April 1, 2020, with the govt skipping BS-V. This shift required vehicles to be equipped with advanced emission control technologies, including particulate filters, selective catalytic reduction, and improved engine management systems. The high cost of upgrading diesel vehicles to meet BS-VI norms led to their near disappearance from small car hatchback and sedan segments. The BS-VI Phase 2 norms further tightened emission controls by introducing real-time emission monitoring through On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) systems.
Despite the improvement in emission efficiency, Kolkata still faces a major challenge — over 9 lakh vehicles in the database have unknown emission standards. These older vehicles may be big contributors to air pollution, raising concerns about enforcement and phasing out of non-compliant vehicles. “It is time the govt strictly implements the scrappage policy to tackle outdated vehicles,” said an official.

The Indian govt revised its Vehicle Scrappage Policy in 2024. In a draft notification on Jan 24, the ministry of road transport and highways proposed doubling the rebate on new vehicle purchases under the policy. The one-time tax rebate for individuals scrapping BS-II and older vehicles could increase from the current 25% (for personal vehicles) and 15% (for commercial vehicles) to 50% for both.