Govt Launches ZET Corridors To Cut Freight Emissions & Promote Green Logistics

New Delhi, May 19 (KNN) India has designated 10 strategic highway segments for exclusive zero-emission truck (ZET) operations as part of its comprehensive strategy to decarbonise the logistics sector. 

The initiative, announced by the Office, Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), Government of India earlier this month, will establish pilot corridors for ZET implementation, creating the foundation for a nationwide infrastructure network centered on electric and hydrogen-based fuel technologies.

This targeted approach addresses a critical environmental challenge: despite representing only 3 percent of India's total vehicle fleet, trucks generate over one-third of all transport-related carbon dioxide emissions. 

The environmental impact is magnified by the fact that road transportation handles 71 percent of India's overall freight movement. 

According to projections fr0m Niti Aayog, India's truck fleet is expected to expand more than fourfold by 2050, growing fr0m 4 million vehicles in 2022 to approximately 17 million.

"These corridors serve not only as the best candidates for ZET pilots, but as blueprints for the future of freight movement," stated Ajay K. Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser, in the foreword to the comprehensive 56-page report on India's priority corridors for Zero-Emission Trucking. 

He emphasised that "the adoption of ZET in India will play a crucial role in decarbonising the logistics sector, improving public health, enhancing energy independence, and showcasing the country's leadership in the global transition to a net-zero future."

The report further highlights that "establishing ZET corridors can help ensure the use of truck and infrastructure assets, demonstrate ZET operational and financial feasibility, help manage risks and lower costs, and unlock private capital for ZET projects." 

Implementation efforts are already advancing, with the central government allocating RS 500 crore for ZET acquisition under the Prime Minister Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme. 

The priority corridors were identified through a rigorous three-phase process, beginning with quantitative and qualitative assessment of 230 potential corridors based on toll traffic data and supply/demand center mapping, followed by stakeholder consultations and detailed field research. 

Additional selection criteria included freight traffic volume, industrial activity concentration, availability of supporting services, grid infrastructure readiness, corridor length relative to battery range, and strategic input fr0m stakeholders regarding commercial viability.

(KNN Bureau)