Pune’s choking on polluted air from lakhs of vehicles on roads

PUNE: Roads choked with vehicles and traffic jams show how Pune is bursting at its seams.
They also speak of the rising carbon emissions which affect the quality of life of citizens when they inhale polluted air.




Pune’s vehicle population went up by 2.89 lakh in 2017-18, the highest increase in the last decade, statistics in the environment status report for 2017-18 tabled on Wednesday said. As of March 2018, there were 36.27 lakh registered vehicles in Pune.

The report, which said vehicles are contributing to the air pollution and gave control measures, did not put out concrete steps to check the use of private vehicles which clog the roads.

There were over 25 lakh vehicles in 2014-15 and the city added about 10 lakh vehicles in four years with a yearly increase of about 2.5 lakh.

The Regional Transport Office (RTO), Pune, said the increase in private bikes and cars is alarming and underlines the need to strengthen public transport.

“The maximum surge has been in the registration of two-wheelers because citizens find it easy to use them for their daily commute. In the last one year, the transport office registered over two lakh two-wheelers,” the officials said.

Experts are also alarmed. Activist Jugal Rathi, who has been advocating the use of public transport buses, said, “The administration approved the comprehensive mobility plan in 2009. The document suggested an increase in public transport and promotion of non-motorized transport. all that is on paper,” he said.

People must reduce the use of personal vehicles. Public transport, especially buses, should be increased to reduce carbon production, Sujit Patwardhan of Parisar, an organisation which works for the environment, said.