{
  "id": 7798078,
  "title": "Karnataka State Pollution Control Board bats for carpooling to curb vehicular emissions in Bengaluru",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/karnataka-state-pollution-control-board-bats-for-carpooling-to-curb",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-16T13:53:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/karnataka-state-pollution-control-board-bats-for-carpooling-to-curb-vehicular-emissions-in-bengaluru/article71472739.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has written to the Transport Department of Bengaluru, advocating for the adoption of a regulatory framework for non-commercial shared commuting and corporate carpooling initiatives. R. Gokul, member secretary of KSPCB, highlighted the significant contribution of vehicular emissions to air pollution in the city, accounting for nearly 40% of Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5. The board's Source Apportionment Study revealed that road dust contributed 51% of PM10 concentrations. With the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) in place, KSPCB is actively implementing measures to improve air quality in Bengaluru. The board's letter underscores the potential of carpooling to reduce vehicular emissions, congestion, fuel consumption, and overall pollution levels. However, the letter acknowledges regulatory ambiguities surrounding the promotion of organised carpooling, urging the Transport Department to examine the matter from a policy and regulatory perspective.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}