Bengaluru Pollution Board Backs Carpooling, Urges Clear Rules as Vehicles Drive 40% of PM2.5
The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has asked the Transport Department to examine the feasibility of a clear regulatory framework for non-commercial shared commuting and corporate carpooling in Bengaluru, citing the need to reduce vehicular emissions and congestion in the city.
In a letter to the Commissioner of the Transport Department, KSPCB member secretary R. Gokul said such measures could help lower both pollution levels and traffic pressure. The communication comes as the Board implements a range of measures to improve air quality in Bengaluru under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
The Board based its argument on the Source Apportionment Study carried out for Bengaluru under the NCAP. The study found that vehicular emissions contributed nearly 40% of the overall Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 load, making them the single largest contributor to PM2.5 pollution. Road dust, meanwhile, accounted for approximately 51% of PM10 concentrations.
The Board noted that a rising number of private vehicles, combined with severe congestion on major corridors and junctions, was leading to higher emissions of particulate matter and gaseous pollutants. “Slow-moving traffic and inefficient vehicle movement also contributed to the resuspension of road dust, aggravating ambient air pollution levels,” it observed.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Gokul said vehicular emissions continued to be a major source of air pollution in the city. He said the Board was exploring options and had held meetings with several stakeholders involved in promoting shared mobility and carpooling solutions in Bengaluru.
“In one of the meetings, a stakeholder presented the positive adaptations through which congestion and slow-moving traffic, especially in high-density corridors, can be addressed. Such implementations, which also include carpooling, could curb the emissions, helping the cause of NCAP,” he said.
According to Mr. Gokul, the discussions largely highlighted the potential role of organised carpooling platforms in reducing single-occupancy vehicle use, easing traffic congestion, cutting fuel consumption and lowering vehicular emissions.
Data reviewed earlier by the traffic department points to the scale of the opportunity. An internal audit based on information gathered from private aggregators showed that before 2021, nearly 60,000 people benefited from carpooling. That number has since dropped to 25,000. The analysis estimates that more than 1.5 lakh people would use carpooling daily if it were fully legalised and widely publicised.
In its letter, the Board acknowledged that regulatory ambiguities remain over the operation and promotion of organised carpooling arrangements. The absence of a clearly articulated regulatory framework, it said, could create uncertainty for commuters, employers, technology platforms and enforcement agencies.
The KSPCB has therefore requested the Transport Department, as the competent authority on motor vehicle regulation and passenger transport policy, to examine the matter from a policy and regulatory perspective.
It suggested that the department consider issuing guidelines, clarifications or a policy framework governing non-commercial shared commuting and corporate carpooling, with safeguards relating to safety, accountability and compliance with applicable laws.
The Board’s letter follows an earlier push by the Bengaluru Traffic Police, which had also urged the Transport Department to look into a regulatory framework for shared commuting. The two agencies have separately pointed to the same gap: platforms and commuters operate in an environment where the rules are not fully defined.
What happens next rests with the Transport Department, which has not announced a decision or a timeline on the KSPCB’s request. For now, the proposal remains under examination, with the Board maintaining that clearer rules could encourage shared travel and help bring down the city’s particulate pollution.
