The Government of India has sought to improve air quality through fuel quality improvements and tightening of vehicle emission norms to control vehicular air pollution in urban areas. Air quality nevertheless continues tobe an area of concern in most urban areas of India as a result of the rapid increase in the number of registered vehicles. This paper discusses thevarious fuel quality and vehicular technology improvements that have beentaken up nationally, and in Bangalore City, and also traces the air quality trend monitored at an important traffic junction in Bangalore over 10-years. The analysis shows that particulate matter and sulphur dioxide concentrations have decreased and correspond to the incremental fuel quality and vehicle emission norms implemented during the period but particulate matter and respirable suspended particulate matter concentrations are still above permissible standards. (A) Reprinted with permission from Elsevier.
Abstract