Lahore is the world’s most polluted city by Air Quality Index (AQI) according to various sources. A report published by The Urban Unit reveals that vehicles are the biggest contributors to the rising pollution in Lahore.
The percentage of the transport sector contributing to pollution is significantly higher than any other contributing factor, the report adds. A snapshot of each contributing factor by percentage is as follows:
The report also highlights that the population of cars, bikes, buses, trucks, rickshaws, and other forms of mechanized transport is rising at an alarming rate in Punjab’s capital city.
It specifies that the vehicle population has risen threefold from 2.4 million in 2011 to a staggering 6.3 million in 2021. The toxic fumes of the rising vehicle population have also taken a toll on the air quality in Lahore.
Additionally, motorcycles and scooters are the biggest contributors to the worsening environment of Lahore. Next to that, are the cars and SUVs. The contribution of each form of transport to the pollution in Lahore is as follows:
The government is actively advocating the electrification of two-wheelers in Pakistan. It is also working on incentivizing both, electric bike manufacturers and buyers in order to expedite this paradigm shift.
Although, due to the limited number of bikes, reliability, and ownership concerns, people are still hesitant in accepting the new trend.
