BackGovt plans new department to monitor vehicle safety, emissions
The roads ministry has agreed with the auto industry's demand to roll out Bharat Stage V emission norms by 2019 and BS VI norms by 2023
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New Delhi: The government plans to create a separate department of transport to deal with issues such as vehicular emissions and safety, said Vijay Chhibber, secretary, ministry of road transport and highways, on Wednesday.
The ministry has agreed with the auto industry’s demand to roll out Bharat Stage (BS) V emission norms by 2019 and BS VI norms by 2023, with the notification to be issued by the month-end, Chhibber said.
On the idea of a separate transport department, the roads ministry has shared the concept with other sections of the government, Chhibber told a conference of industry lobby group Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam).
“My ministry is a little extensively fond of civil engineering of road construction than other aspects," Chhibber said. “We have underestimated the potential of transport. Therefore, we are carving out a separate department for transport so that we can come up with a road map for the transport sector. It is still at a thought stage and very soon we should have a resonance on this."
Chhibber was also critical of the auto sector at a time when the industry has been lobbying against skipping BS V emission norms, equivalent to Euro V norms, and moving directly to BS VI norms for vehicles.
According to the original timeline of the Auto Fuel Policy, BS IV is to be adopted across the country by 2017, BS V by 2020 and BS VI by 2024.
Many western countries have already graduated to Euro VI, the equivalent to BS VI.
“For god’s sake, enough is enough; adequate time has been given," Chhibber said.
India, at present, has BS IV emission norms for vehicles.
“I want to draw your attention to your credibility, when auto is becoming so important to economy. You cannot be thinking about your profitability only," said Chhibber. “Auto growth should be seen in the context of environment and safety concerns. Both have become paramount. Timelines for rollout of BS V and BS VI fuel norms have been set and the industry should accept that and get on with it."
Moving to BS V would entail an investment of ₹ 40,000-60,000 crore for the auto industry, and BS VI would mean a significant technology upgrade.
Anant J. Talaulicar, chairman, Siam Diesel Image Group, and the chairman and managing director of Cummins India, said that while there is no doubt that one needs to go to BS VI norms, one should keep in mind the market and tech realities.
Such a shift by India, the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter after the US and China, is also expected to strengthen the country’s standing at global climate change negotiations that culminate in a summit in Paris in December.
Putting across the industry viewpoint, Abhay Firodia, chairman, Force Motors Ltd, said: “Merely having fuel doesn’t enable you to get there."
Bosch Ltd, India’s largest manufacturer of fuel-injection systems and engine technologies, had told the centre that such a switch could lead to saf-ety and quality problems such as self-acceleration and engine da-mage, Mint reported on 16 June.
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