Low Emission Zone policy could bring Rs 233 crore gains for Sambhajinagar: Study

Mumbai: A new study by International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has found that a well-designed low-emission zone (LEZ) in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar could deliver environmental and public health benefits valued at up to Rs 233 crores.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) in Maharashtra has long grappled with air pollution, prompting the development of a comprehensive clean air action plan to improve the city’s air quality.

The ICCT, along with Urban Research Foundation and the Institute for Transport and Development Policy (ITDP), has supported the city in planning and implementing LEZ.

LEZ’s are designated areas within cities where the most polluting vehicles are restricted or phased out to improve air quality. It typically targets older, high-emission vehicles and promotes cleaner alternatives, such as zero-emission transportation. In the latest study, the key air pollutants considered include particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrocarbons (HC).

The ICCT study evaluated two potential LEZ configurations in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, each offering different scales of impact. The first is a compact 6 km2 zone covering 3.3% of the city, which could reduce PM2.5 concentrations by up to 1.3 μg/m3 and NOx by 4 μg/m3, addressing approximately 10% of vehicular emissions. The second option, a more expansive 28 km2 zone (15.5% of the city), could cover up to 41% of emissions and deliver larger reductions up to 1.7 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and 5.3 μg/m3 for NOx.

The city’s emissions profile reveals that two-wheelers are the dominant polluters, comprising over 70 % of vehicle registrations and contributing the highest share of emissions across all major pollutants. BS III vehicles, although no longer manufactured, continue to be the top emitters, responsible for the majority of PM and NOx emissions. Vehicles aged 6 to 15 years were found to be the most polluting segment, underscoring the need for policies targeting older, high-emitting vehicles in LEZ design.

To address this, the study modeled two LEZ implementation strategies for the period 2026–2030. The age-based strategy, which restricts older diesel and petrol/CNG vehicles, could cut PM emissions by up to 53% and NOx by 46%. The standards-based strategy, phasing out vehicles based on Bharat Stage norms, could reduce PM by up to 27% and NOx by 23%.

"Our study clearly shows that low-emission zones are not just an environmental imperative, but an economic opportunity. By prioritising cleaner vehicles and phasing out older, polluting ones, cities like Sambhajinagar can safeguard public health while unlocking significant social and economic benefits,” said Amit Bhatt, India Managing Director, ICCT.

"Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city, with its rich heritage, tourism, and agriculture, cannot overlook the impact of transport emissions. A well-designed low-emission zone can position the city as a model for others grappling with air pollution. However, its success depends on well-coordinated, cross-sectoral actions to ensure the benefits of LEZs are sustained and not undermined,” said Moorthy Nair, Researcher, ICCT.