Decision on Jhunjhunwala committee's proposals on pollution only after consultations: Gadkari

Union Road Transport and Highways minister Nitin Gadkari has said the government will consider the views of all stakeholders before taking any decision on the Jhunjhunwala committee report on Delhi pollution, indicating that the recommendations are still under examination and not yet policy.

Speaking to Business Today, Gadkari said, “We will consider the viewpoints of all stakeholders and then take a decision. Our ministry is the parent ministry of all such policies.”

The remarks come amid debate around the Jhunjhunwala committee report, which has drawn attention for its suggestions on addressing vehicular pollution in the Delhi-NCR region. Media reports on the draft recommendations had pointed to stricter timelines for reducing the use of older petrol and diesel vehicles and accelerating the shift towards cleaner mobility options.

The committee, chaired by Professor Ashok Jhunjhunwala, was constituted under the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to examine the contribution of vehicles to air pollution in the National Capital Region and propose long-term solutions to improve air quality.

As per reports, The panel is also understood to have suggested that new two-wheelers used for commercial purposes and taxis registered from 2027 onwards should be zero tailpipe emission vehicles, with similar norms for new light commercial vehicles from 2028. The draft further proposes that only electric cars be registered from 2030, while restrictions on the use of BS-VI vehicles could extend into the mid-2030s, alongside tighter emission monitoring and a gradual reduction in new petrol and diesel vehicle purchases.