Pune is set to become the first Indian city to implement a low-emission zone (LEZ), a designated urban area where the most polluting vehicles are restricted, charged, or barred from entering to cut harmful emissions.
The LEZ initiative follows three years of work by the Pune Municipal Corporation, supported by the ITDP India, under Maharashtra's 2021 Electric Vehicle Policy.
The policy mandates LEZs in six cities to reduce emissions in line with the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP).
A study and a survey by ITDP released in October 2025 said about 71% of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles running in PMC are BS-4 and below.
The restrictions are likely to apply to BS-III and older two-wheelers, passenger cars, and heavy and light commercial vehicles.
Autorickshaws, public buses, and emergency vehicles are expected to be exempt.
Instead of an outright ban, owners of polluting vehicles may be allowed to pay a daily pollution charge.
Vehicles found operating without paying the charge could face steeper penalties.
Pune's industrial satellite city of Pimpri-Chinchwad is planning a city-wide initiative under its Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
Similar initiatives are emerging across the country, from congested temple towns to industrial coastal cities.
