Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao urges transition to all-electric public transport in Bengaluru

Rao highlighted the severe air pollution in Bengaluru caused by vehicles running on conventional fuels, stressing its direct impact on public health. He pointed out that the city’s dense population, geography, and weather conditions further exacerbated pollution levels.

“Air pollution has well-established adverse effects on health. Given Bengaluru’s high vehicle numbers and growing population, urgent measures are needed to prevent the city from facing a crisis similar to Delhi’s,” he wrote.

Rao emphasised that increasing public transport usage must go hand in hand with a transition to electric mobility. Shifting away from conventional fuels is not just an option but an urgent necessity, he added.

Calling for immediate policy action, he urged the transport department to frame regulations supporting this transition and to ensure that Bengaluru’s public transport system aligns with sustainable and eco-friendly mobility goals.

Meanwhile, Reddy, acknowledging the letter, reportedly said that while certain measures required approval from the Union government, others could be implemented with permission from the state government. He said that steps would be taken to reduce vehicular emissions.