Indian two-wheelers to get stricter emission norms

Government of India is all set to get stricter emission norms in place for two-wheelers by 2015. The new norms have already been formulated and will be notified shortly to the manufacturers.

The new norms are expected to cut down emissions from two-wheelers by about 25 per cent. This will directly result in less pollution as the two-wheeler market contributes to more than 75 per cent of the total auto market in the country.  Once the norms are in place, two-wheeler manufacturers will have to re-engineer their products by reworking on the engine. Expert says the manufacturers will have to go for after-treatment devices and evaporative emission control unit that will raise the price from Rs 1,500 for smaller bikes till Rs 10,000 for performance bikes.

By building stricter emission norms, the government is showing the intent of minimising two-wheeler pollution in the country. India is one of the biggest two-wheeler markets in the world and something like this will certainly help in bringing down carbon footprints.

"We have carefully scrutinised the requirements for the Indian market. The Indian emission norms for two-wheelers are unique since we don't follow the European Union as we do in the case of bigger vehicles like cars, trucks and buses," said an official to ET.