Workshop Providing Guidance To Establish Low Emission Zones held in Pimpri Chinchwad 

Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), in partnership with
the British Deputy High Commission and the non-profit organization Cenex, hosted a workshop on Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in Pimpri on Thursday. The workshop aimed to provide guidance on establishing LEZs in the area, drawing insights from the UK experience and case studies.

The workshop featured key figures, including PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh, PCMC Additional Municipal Commissioner Vijay Khorate, City Engineer Makrand Nikam, Deputy Commissioner Ravikiran Ghodake, Joint city engineer, Sanjay Kulkarni, Pramod Ombhase, Executive engineer, Bapusaheb Gaikwad, Dr. Nayanika Singh from British High Commission, Avnish Malhotra
and Hirawati Gokhale from British Deputy High Commissioner (British Trade Office), and Steve Carroll, Head of Transport at CENEX UK.

During his opening speech, PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh highlighted the municipality’s commitment to sustainable mobility, citing initiatives like Harit Setu and an Electric Vehicle (EV) readiness plan. He acknowledged the challenges of implementing LEZs in a rapidly growing city like Pimpri-Chinchwad and stressed the importance of a gradual approach, leveraging data, technology, and citizen engagement.

Singh also emphasized PCMC ongoing collaboration with various stakeholders, including government bodies, businesses, institutes, NGOs, and the community, to address the critical issue of reducing pollution levels in the area.

Steve Carroll of Cenex delivered an overview of the progress made on the draft toolkit and city-specific action plans. The workshop encouraged active participation in the co-design process through breakout sessions, gathering valuable feedback for the final toolkit and identifying barriers to implementing the action plan.