Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood Unveils Report on Priority Corridors for Zero-Emission Trucking in India.
National
In May 2025, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India (GoI), launched a report titled India's Priority Corridors for Zero Emission Trucking in New Delhi, Delhi. The report was presented by Akshima Ghate, Managing Director (MD) of the United States of America (USA)-based Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI).
- The report identified 10 key highway corridors across India that hold the greatest potential for the deployment of Zero-Emission Trucks (ZETs). It is designed to support a nationwide shift towards cleaner and more sustainable freight transportation.
- The report was developed with the support of the Centre of Excellence for Zero Emission Trucking at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (COEZET-IIT Madras), based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and pManifold Business Private Limited, headquartered in Nagpur, Maharashtra, served as key knowledge partners in the preparation of this report.
- A three-phase methodology was employed to identify the top 10 priority corridors for Zero-Emission Trucking (ZET) in India. This process involved both qualitative and quantitative assessments of an initial pool of 230 corridors, ensuring a comprehensive and data-driven approach.
Main Point :- (i) The final 10 corridors were shortlisted based on multiple criteria, including toll traffic data, mapping of supply and demand centres, extensive stakeholder consultations, and in-depth field research. Additional factors such as high freight traffic, presence of industrial activity, availability of ancillary services, and the readiness of grid infrastructure were also critical to the selection process.
(ii) According to the report, long-haul trucks contribute to approximately 40% of fuel consumption and transport-related emissions in India. This highlights the urgent need for targeted zero-emission solutions within the freight sector to significantly reduce environmental impact.
(iii) The report also serves as a guiding document for the PM E-DRIVE scheme, introduced in 2024 by the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), Government of India. With a total budget allocation of ₹500 crore, this scheme aims to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission transport (ZET) technologies across the country.
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