The government is set to roll out BS-VII emission standards, aligned with Euro 7 norms, in three phases starting April 2029, TOI reported on Wednesday.

The proposed standards will tighten pollution monitoring and require automakers to upgrade engines, while existing vehicles, including those compliant with BS-VI norms will remain unaffected.

The rollout will span six years, until April 2035 and will give automakers and testing agencies time to prepare, the report said.

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The road transport ministry has approved the proposed timeline, and draft notifications for three vehicle categories are expected in the coming days.

The norms will initially apply to new cars and SUVs manufactured from April 2029, followed by small goods delivery vehicles and pick-up vans from 2030, while buses and heavy-duty vehicles will come under the standards from April 2031.

The timeline for two-wheelers, a major source of pollution, will be notified later.

Unlike the transition to BS-VI in April 2020, the new standards will not require changes to refinery infrastructure to produce compliant petrol and diesel.

However, automakers will need to upgrade engines and emissions-control systems.

While the proposed limits for most emission components in cars and SUVs remain unchanged from BS-VI, the permitted particulate number will be lowered from 23 nanometres to 10 nanometres, allowing the standards to capture smaller, potentially harmful particles, the report added.

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The proposed rules will have a greater impact on trucks and heavy-duty vehicles, targeting a 20-50% reduction in emissions across pollutants.

They will also regulate non-exhaust pollution from brake wear and tyre abrasion.

The standards will expand checks beyond laboratory testing to real-world driving conditions and introduce market surveillance, under which independent agencies will test vehicles already in use.

The framework is aligned with Europe’s Euro 7 norms, which are also being introduced in phases.