No Need to Ban Petrol, Diesel Vehicles as EVs Gaining Momentum: Nitin Gadkari
Allaying fears of the automobile industry, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, on September 23, said that there is no need to ban petrol and diesel vehicles as electric mobility has picked up momentum on its own and all buses would be electric in two years. Earlier, government think-tank Niti Aayog had reportedly proposed that after 2030, only electric vehicles (EVs) should be sold in India. Later, Union ministers, including Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, tried to allay the fear of automobile manufactures in the country by denying that. A panel headed by Niti Aayog Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant had earlier suggested that only EVs (three-wheelers and two-wheelers) with an engine capacity of up to 150cc should be sold from 2025 onwards. "I always talk about EVs such as cars, bikes, and buses. Now, it has started naturally. There is no need to make it mandatory. There is no need to ban petrol and diesel vehicles. In the next two years, all buses