A new set of Global Air Quality guidelines released by the World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm bell that rising air pollution poses a grave threat to human health and millions of lives will be lost if the problem is left unaddressed. Strict adherence to the WHO guidelines by countries and the global community for reducing levels of pollutants in the air is the way out. The WHO estimates show that exposure to air pollution causes seven million premature death every year. It has also flagged evidence-based concern that air pollution can cause reduced lung growth and function in children resulting in loss of healthy years of life. The guidelines recommend air quality levels for six pollutants-particulate matter (PM), ozone (O?), nitrogen dioxide (NO?) sulphur dioxide (SO?) and carbon monoxide (CO). In its official release, WHO states that the health risks associated with particulate matter generated by fuel combustion in different sectors equal or smaller than 10 and 2.5 microns in diameter (PM?? and PM?.?, respectively) are of particular public health relevance. Both PM?.? and PM?? are capable of penetrating deep into the lungs but PM?.? can even enter the bloodstream, primarily resulting in cardiovascular and respiratory impacts, and also affecting other organs. "The burden of disease attributable to air pollution is now estimated to be on a par with other major global health risks such as unhealthy diet and tobacco smoking, and air pollution is now recognized as the single biggest environmental threat to human health," cautions. Reducing vehicle emissions is a key intervention to reduce pollution levels in outdoor air. India's push for electric mobility is a significant step in this direction. The Electric Vehicle Policy of Assam, 2021 aimed at subsidising electric vehicles in the state is a timely measure but government addressing two key concerns- availability of adequate charging stations and affordable power tariff will determine policy outcomes. Reducing traffic congestions can contribute to improving air quality levels but in cities like Guwahati, the problem has become aggravated with the lack of good arterial roads or a ring road to prevent clogging of main thoroughfares. Many air-quality monitoring stations are critical to have accurate, reliable, and quality data. In Guwahati, only six air quality monitoring stations of the Assam Pollution Control Board are inadequate to make a correct estimation of the air quality in the city. Even data from six stations present an alarming picture of air quality index declining to moderate and very poor during winter months which causes breathing discomfort to the people with lung, heart diseases and children and other adults and breathing discomfort to most people with prolonged exposure. The situation eases during rainy seasons which indicate that special measures for the winter months can help the maintenance of air quality around the year. Improved, the smooth and rapid public transport system can help reduce traffic congestion, as comparatively fewer private cars or vehicles will be on roads. Rising fares of public transport vehicles have made many commuters purchase scooters or motorbikes which in turn adds to the city's traffic load. Subsiding public transport system for urban commuters can be a viable option if the rising disease burden of non-communicable diseases caused by air pollution on the government health system is weighed against government expenditures in providing subsidies to the transport sector in the public sector. Measures like free rides for women, senior citizens, students while making other users of public transport pay higher fare discourages more people from using public transport for commuting. Mobilization of the required funding for subsiding government-run public transport is a huge challenge. Channelizing a share of the budget earmarked welfare measures of various departments targeting various sections of the society including student, girl students, senior citizens, widows, low-income households to the transport department against commuters from these sections can be explored for promoting more use of public transport in Guwahati and other towns. Mere subsidizing the transport budgets without improving the roads to facilitate faster mobility and ensuring desired frequency of buses at each stoppage during peak hours will not work. If sustainability of operating buses in the public sector is viewed from the perspective of earning profit from income from users' fares, then the issue of reducing traffic congestion in Guwahati and other cities and towns in the region will remain unaddressed. Lessons may be learnt from many developed countries subsiding user fares to discourage their citizens from adding more private vehicles on road during peak hours of the day. If public transport and the problem of air quality remains delinked, rising traffic load will not only make cities like Guwahati with poor public transport system unsustainable and unliveable air quality will also further deteriorate. It is high time all countries, state governments, urban authorities, and civil societies drew up action-based agenda for strictly adhering to WHO recommended air quality levels.