Dinesh Gundu Rao urges transport department to boost EV adoption in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has urged Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy to expand electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Bengaluru, particularly by adding more EV buses, to prevent Delhi-NCR-like pollution in the city.

In a letter issued on Monday, Rao highlighted the environmental and public health risks posed by traditional fuel-based vehicles, stressing the need for immediate action.

He suggested that the transport department should, moving forward, grant permits exclusively to electric auto-rickshaws, cabs, taxis, goods autos, and waste collection vehicles. He further recommended that only EV buses be added to the city’s road transport corporation fleet.

"A metropolis like Bengaluru has more vehicles which has a huge impact on pollution, and it also affects more people because of the population density in the city. Bengaluru's geographical and weather conditions also worsen the air pollution; therefore, we need to take precautions before Bengaluru becomes infamous for air pollution like Delhi has," he wrote.

Rao also stressed the importance of encouraging public transport and increasing EV adoption in both public and private sectors. He emphasised the need to develop the necessary infrastructure to support this transition and gradually move away from conventional fuel sources.