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On-board diagnostic (OBD) checks for inspection and maintenance in India

Poor air quality across Indian cities threatens the health of millions, and pollution levels have remained at dangerous levels throughout the last decade. To address the urban air quality crisis, officials have targeted motor vehicles, a major source of pollution in urban areas. Actions to-date have emphasized cleaner fuels and technology for new vehicles, recently culminating in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) adopting stringent BS VI standards to be implemented in 2020. With a roadmap for clean vehicles and fuels in place, regulators can shift their focus to reducing emissions from vehicles currently on the road and ensuring that vehicles continue to meet emission standards throughout their lifetime. The nation’s vehicle inspection and maintenance (I/M) program is instrumental in meeting these goals. This briefing proposes improvements to India’s current I/M program, based on international experience and best practices, that take advantage of new technologies to adapt the program to the quickly modernizing fleet.