In a measure aimed at reducing pollution from vehicular emission, one of the elements being blamed for the foul air in Delhi and its surrounding areas, the petroleum ministry in consultation with public sector oil marketing companies has decided on introducing BS-VI grade fuel in Delhi from April 1, 2018, instead of April 1, 2020. The oil ministry has asked state-run fuel retailers, to also examine introducing BS-VI auto fuels in the NCR (National Capital Region) a year later, in April 2019. Sulphur specification for petrol and diesel will be reduced 50 times for a level of 500 ppm for BS-II fuel to 10 ppm in BS-VI.
Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said “the decision to prepone the introduction of BS-VI grade fuel in NCT of Delhi w.e.f. 1st April 2018 in place of 1st April 2020 is a sincere effort to curb the vehicular pollution in Delhi and adjoining areas. The advancement will, however, not apply to automobiles. Even if vehicles use BS-VI grade fuel their emissions will not be BS-VI compliant. The government had earlier decided to leapfrog to BS-VI by April 1, 2020, skipping BS-V.
Society of Indian Auto Manufacturers (SIAM) has said that the move was in line with international practices where the higher grade of fuel is generally introduced a couple of years before higher emission standards for vehicles kick in. SIAM President Abhay Firodia said the early introduction of BS VI fuel gives confidence to the Auto Industry that BS VI Fuel will be available across the country from 1st April 2020, when the Auto Industry will fully migrate to manufacturing only BS VI compliant vehicles on a pan India basis. Oil refining companies had invested over Rs 55,000 crore for production and supply of BS-III/IV fuel and had planned to invest Rs 80,000 crore in upgrading their petrol and diesel quality to meet BS-VI specifications by 2020.