Delilah D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, May 19: In a significant move towards sustainable transportation, the Indian government has identified ten high-impact highway corridors for the deployment of zero-emission trucks (ZETs). This initiative aims to decarbonize the logistics sector, reduce air pollution, enhance energy security, and align with India's commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
The corridors, selected through a comprehensive three-phase assessment process, include routes such as Delhi–Chandigarh, Delhi–Jaipur, Pune–Nashik, Dhanbad–Kolkata, Kolkata–Haldia, Vijayawada–Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru–Chennai, Chennai–Viluppuram, Coimbatore–Salem, and Coimbatore–Kochi. These segments were chosen based on factors like high freight traffic, industrial activity, availability of ancillary services, grid infrastructure readiness, and corridor length relative to battery range.
Trucks, though constituting only 3% of vehicles on Indian roads, are responsible for over one-third of transport-related carbon dioxide emissions. Given that road transportation accounts for approximately 71% of overall freight movement in India, transitioning to ZETs is crucial for reducing emissions and improving public health.
The report on India's Priority Corridors for Zero-Emission Trucking was released by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. Developed with support from the Centre of Excellence for Zero Emission Trucking (CoEZET) at IIT Madras, the Rocky Mountain Institute, and pManifold, the report serves as a strategic guide for policymakers and industry stakeholders. It is also expected to inform future investments in charging infrastructure, public-private partnerships, and regulatory support mechanisms.
This initiative complements the PM E-DRIVE scheme, launched in 2024 with a budget of ?500 crore, aimed at promoting the adoption of zero-emission transport solutions across the country. Under this scheme, subsidies are provided for the purchase of electric trucks, with the submission of a scrapping certificate for old internal combustion engine trucks being a prerequisite.
By focusing on these priority corridors, India takes a significant step toward modernizing its transportation infrastructure and achieving its long-term climate objectives.