NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is planning to roll out stricter BS-VII emission standards for new cars and SUVs from April 1, 2029, according to a draft gazette notification.
The ministry said in a draft notification dated October 12 that it will implement all new norms in three phases spanning six years, from April 2029 to April 2035.
The first phase will be implemented from April 2029, the second from April 2031, and the third from April 2035, according to the notification.
The proposed norms set stricter limits for harmful pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and particulate matter, and will not affect existing vehicles or their life, including those compliant with BS-VI standards.
BS, or Bharat Stage, refers to India’s vehicle emission standards that set limits on pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC) and particulate matter (PM).
These standards are aligned with European emission norms and are enforced to gradually phase out vehicles that emit higher levels of pollutants.
In India, BS-VI is in force since April 2020. India skipped BS-V and moved directly to BS-VI to accelerate pollution control. These vehicles emit far lower pollutants and require low-sulphur BS-VI fuel.