Former Indian Oil Corporation chairman Shrikant Vaidya has delivered a stark warning about the environmental impact of short-distance flights between Pune and Mumbai, describing the practice as "criminal" given the substantial greenhouse gas emissions involved.
The Environmental Cost of Short-Haul Flights
Speaking at an event organized by the Pune International Centre on Tuesday, Vaidya highlighted the severe environmental consequences of air travel between the two Maharashtra cities. Airplanes operating on the Pune-Mumbai route emit four times more greenhouse gases compared to railway transportation, making them particularly damaging to the environment.
"Flying is extremely harmful to the environment from the point of view of greenhouse gases. In fact, I was just doing a study... I think it is criminal to fly from Mumbai to Pune because of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions," Vaidya stated emphatically during his address.
The Aviation Sector's Decarbonization Challenge
The former oil executive shed light on the broader challenges facing the aviation industry's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. Global consumption of aviation turbine fuel currently stands at approximately 70 lakh barrels per day, with projections indicating this will rise to 90 lakh barrels due to exponential growth in air travel.
Vaidya dismissed battery technology as a viable replacement for jet fuel "by a long shot," noting that such alternatives would make air travel economically unviable. He also expressed skepticism about sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), estimating it would contribute only 1% of total fuel requirements in the foreseeable future.
Rail Travel as the Sustainable Solution
Instead of relying solely on technological solutions for aviation, Vaidya proposed a more practical approach: government incentives for rail travel and development of high-speed rail networks similar to those in Japan and China.
He presented compelling statistics to support his argument: 60% of all flights in India operate between the top eight metro cities. Developing high-speed rail infrastructure connecting these urban centers could significantly reduce flight frequency. "Even if railways replace 10-30% of these flights, it will be a major step towards decarbonization," Vaidya emphasized.
Broader Energy Security Concerns
Beyond transportation issues, Vaidya addressed India's broader energy security challenges, particularly the country's dependence on crude oil imports. He suggested looking to Asian counterparts like Japan, China, and South Korea by creating substantial strategic oil reserves to buffer against global price volatility.
The former IOC chairman also advocated for an "equity oil" policy—purchasing stakes in offshore oilfields—as a strategy to reduce import costs. "This is the right time for implementing such policies, as oil prices are relatively stable and several new countries are discovering oil," he noted, highlighting the current window of opportunity for strategic energy investments.
Vaidya's comments come at a time when India is grappling with balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability, particularly in the transportation sector where demand for both air and rail travel continues to grow rapidly.
