Wheels of change

Indian two-wheeler giant TVS Motor Company has evolved through the ages as not just one of India’s biggest two-wheeler manufacturer but also a responsible and ethical corporation. As the world grapples numerous man-made crises—climate change, air and water pollution, and their resultant repercussions—TVS’ policies and innovative approaches can prove to be a role model for its industry as well as others.

- DR SHASHANK SHAH

According to a World Health Organisation (WHO) Study in 2018, of 4,300+ cities across 108 countries, 14 of the 20 most polluted were in India. Air pollution from burning fossil fuels costs India an estimated R10.7 lakh-crore ($150 billion) annually, which amounts to 5.4 per cent of the country’s GDP, the third-highest worldwide. In the automobile sector, 32 per cent of air pollutants are emitted by bikes and scooters, followed by diesel-run trucks (28 per cent) and private cars (22 per cent). A 2016 research conducted by People Research on India’s Consumer Economy (PRICE) indicated that one in three households in India owned a two-wheeler. The proportion of car-owning households was 11 per cent of the total population compared to 36 per cent owning a two-wheeler and 58 per cent owning a bicycle. In 2017, Delhi (67.07 lakh), Bangalore (50 lakh), Chennai (36.45 lakh), Hyderabad (36.24 lakh), Pune (24.96 lakh), and Mumbai (17.71 lakh) were the top 6 cities with maximum two-wheelers in the country. By 2019, two-wheeler sales in India reached an all-time high sale of 2.1 crore units. This was almost double the 2011 sales when 1.17 crore two-wheeler units were sold in India.