2 min readPuneFeb 26, 2026 12:25 AM ISTDudi added that the feasibility and the legality of both the options was being studied and that a decision would be taken in the next month. “We will study the options and then submit a proposal to the state government for approval,” he said.The Pune administration is considering multiple options to reduce the number of private vehicles on city roads to control pollution and traffic, District Collector Jitendra Dudi told The Indian Express on Wednesday.Refuting media reports that a decision to ban vehicles older than 15 years from the roads of Pune had been finalised, Dudi said that this was one of the two options discussed in a recent road safety meeting conducted between various concerned departments.Dudi said, “We are considering various options to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads of the city. We had a discussion that we should try eliminating older vehicles. One of the options discussed in the meeting was to ban vehicles older than 15 years. However there is a court ruling that you cannot ban vehicles on the basis of age. So the other suggestion was that we could eliminate vehicles which are older than Bharat Stage VI category, then we can make substantial reductions in emissions and traffic. However these options were only discussed and no decision was finalised.”Dudi added that the feasibility and the legality of both the options was being studied and that a decision would be taken in the next month. “We will study the options and then submit a proposal to the state government for approval,” he said.The National Green Tribunal had in 2015 directed that diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years should not be allowed to operate in Delhi NCR. However, the Supreme Court in August 2025 directed that no coercive action should be taken against the owners of these vehicles. The BJP Delhi government had argued that bans should be based on actual pollution rather than age-based bans.Bharat Stage emission standards are standards instituted by the government to regulate the output of air pollutants from motor vehicles. Bharat Stage IV norms have been in force since 2017, and the GOI had announced that the country would skip the BS-V norms and adopt BS-VI norms by 2020. BS-VI fuel is estimated to bring significant reductions in sulphur and \nitrogen emissions as compared to BS-IV.Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:pune