Green transport survey out, city experts want zero-emission vehicles on roads
Times of India | 3 August 2026
Kolkata: A rapid transition to zero-emission vehicles could save thousands of lives in West Bengal over the next quarter century, with Kolkata expected to be among the biggest beneficiaries because of its chronic air pollution, dense traffic and location at the tail end of the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), according to a new study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).
The report estimates that India could prevent 1.7 million premature deaths between now and 2050 if all new vehicles sold become zero-emission by 2045. It identifies road transport as a major contributor to the country’s air pollution burden, linking vehicle emissions to around 90,000 premature deaths and 15,300 new childhood asthma cases in 2024 alone.
While Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) emerge as the country’s worst hotspots, the findings carry significant implications for Kolkata and West Bengal. Situated at the eastern end of the IGP, the state often receives pollutants transported from upwind regions, which combine with local emissions from vehicles, industries and construction activity. During winter, stagnant meteorological conditions frequently trap these pollutants over the Kolkata metropolitan region, worsening air quality.
Based on the ICCT’s national estimates, West Bengal, accounting for roughly 7-8% of India’s population, could currently witness around 6,000-7,000 premature deaths every year attributable to road transport pollution, while a faster shift to zero-emission mobility could potentially prevent well over one lakh premature deaths by 2050. These figures are extrapolated from national estimates, as the report does not provide state-wise projections.
Road transport, however, represents only one component of Bengal’s much larger air pollution crisis. Estimates from the State-Level Disease Burden Initiative suggest that air pollution from all sources contributes around 1.2-1.4 lakh premature deaths annually in West Bengal, placing it among the worst-affected states in the country. Separately, a Lancet Planetary Health study found that short-term exposure to PM2.5 pollution caused an average of 4,678 deaths every year in Kolkata between 2008 and 2019, accounting for 7.3% of all deaths in the city.
The ICCT report says road transport pollution in India causes one premature death every six minutes and one new childhood asthma case every 34 minutes, with India accounting for 13% of global premature deaths attributable to road transport emissions.
“These are children exposed to traffic pollution during their daily routines. Accelerating the transition to zero-emission vehicles in these high-exposure regions is one of the most direct ways to protect public health,” said Lingzhi Jin, Senior Researcher at ICCT and co-author of the study.
For Kolkata, the findings reinforce concerns over ageing diesel buses, freight vehicles and commercial fleets that continue to dominate roads. The report notes that although heavy-duty vehicles represent only a small share of the vehicle population, they accounted for 79% of tailpipe nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and 64% of transport-related PM2.5 emissions in India in 2024.
“Vehicles on the road can emit significantly more pollution under real-world operation than what is measured under laboratory testing. The only way to eliminate tailpipe emissions entirely is through electrification,” said Amit Bhatt, managing director, ICCT India.
The study says the greatest health gains would come from combining rapid electrification with cleaner electricity, stricter emission standards and accelerated retirement of older, high-emitting vehicles. The findings also lend support to West Bengal’s ongoing push to phase out diesel buses, expand electric public transport and strengthen e-mobility infrastructure.
“Road transport remains a major contributor to India’s air pollution-related health burden. Delivering meaningful impact requires both accelerating the adoption of low- and zero-emission vehicles and phasing out older, high-emitting vehicles through regulatory measures,” said Moorthy Nair, Researcher at ICCT.