Hyderabad charts clean mobility path to avoid Delhi-style air quality crisis, says Telangana minister

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In a stark warning, Telangana’s Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar has declared the state government’s resolve to prevent Hyderabad from replicating the severe air pollution woes of Delhi, positioning a rapid transition to electric vehicles (EVs) as a critical public health imperative.

Speaking at the Telangana Rising Global Summit on Monday, the minister framed clean mobility as an urgent issue transcending environmental debate, directly tied to “public health, energy security and the long-term liveability of cities.”

According to a TOI report, Prabhakar pointed to the crisis in the national capital as a cautionary tale. “We have all seen what is happening in Delhi. We will not let our Hyderabad move in that direction,” he stated.

The state’s strategy reportedly involves a multi-pronged assault on vehicular emissions. Prabhakar revealed that over 4,000 ageing government vehicles have been scrapped in the last two financial years to clean up the official fleet.

Furthermore, he stressed that “phasing out older, high-polluting vehicles, particularly within the Outer Ring Road limits, is critical.” To support this, 37 automated vehicle testing stations are being established across Telangana to rigorously enforce fitness standards.

The push appears to be gaining traction with the public. The minister noted a sharp rise in EV registrations over two years, buoyed by state tax exemptions and shifting consumer preferences.

Adding a private-sector success story, Patrik Antoni, CEO of IKEA India, announced that Hyderabad is the first Indian city where the company has achieved 100% electric vehicle home deliveries.

Patrik Antoni, CEO of IKEA India, recounted to the summit the company's 2015 global goal of achieving emission-free home deliveries by 2025. He credited Hyderabad's proactive environment as a key enabler for reaching this target in India, noting that IKEA started by retrofitting local autorickshaws in 2018 and has now transitioned to using EVs for all its first- and last-mile delivery operations in the city.

However, significant roadblocks to mass adoption remain, particularly for ride-hailing services. Amith Deshpande, Head of Operations at Uber India, highlighted a persistent cost paradox. He explained that while the operational cost of an EV is theoretically less than half that of a CNG vehicle, the reality for drivers is undermined by poor charging infrastructure.

Deshpande emphasised that the high upfront cost of EVs, combined with the weak charging network, erodes potential savings. He called for supportive policy changes on both the demand and supply sides to help cab aggregator platforms achieve their net-zero goals.

Parallel to the green transition, the transport department is pursuing a digital overhaul. Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) Vikas Raj emphasised a focus on “improving transparency and cutting physical interaction.” He noted that with almost every citizen requiring services from licences to vehicle permits, the goal is to create a “seamless” digital experience.