Odd-even car plate system to solve Delhi pollution problem

New Delhi: The hot topic among Delhi residents these days is not how and where to celebrate the New Year, but to know from one another whether they possess a car with an even or an odd number plate.

Starting from January 1, 2016, the Delhi government will enforce a new code on private vehicles.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government announced a radical move to clear the air in one of the world’s most polluted cities, by restricting the number of cars on roads.

It is the first time an Indian city is attempting such a move.

According to the plan, odd numbered vehicles will run on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and even numbered vehicles will run on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Sunday will be free-for-all.

The city has 2.7 million private cars, official data shows.

With 50 per cent of vehicles going off the road, there would be about 1.2 million fewer cars on the roads daily.

Experts are expecting minimum drop of 30 per cent in the level of particulate matter in the air, which is considered the most prominent pollutant in Delhi.

The chief minister said, “The odd-even formula [(of private transport — two wheelers and four wheelers] will apply to everyone including ministers and bureaucrats. Only emergency vehicles, such as ambulances, fire tenders, police vans and public transport, will be exempted from the policy decision. Also, taxis, buses or public transport will not be affected.

However, he added, “Many things are yet to be worked out and we will experiment with it for 15 days. If there are too many problems, it will be stopped.”

According to the CM, the government was planning to implement the scheme at a later stage, but the Delhi court’s concerns and that of the activists call for immediate action, instant steps had to be taken.

Though Delhi residents agree the city’s air needs to be cleaned, they don’t agree with the rush with which the scheme is being thrust on them and term the entire exercise as ‘premature’.

Henna Rohatgi, an office executive says, “I reside in east Delhi and use my personal car for commuting to office in Gurgaon. None of my colleagues stay nearby, hence the car pooling option is ruled out. The mere thought of travelling by overcrowded Metro or a DTC bus is giving me the jitters. The government should come up with something smarter.”

However, keeping women’s safety issues in mind, the government is considering exempting lone women drivers from restrictions. Admitting the government has announced the plan without thrashing out its modalities, the CM, who met Federal home minister Rajnath Singh seeking the Centre’s support said, “Singh’s response was very positive.”

The government’s proposed car scheme has also got a shot in the arm with Chief Justice T.S. Thakur too supporting the idea. Commenting on the ambitious move, Thakur said even the judges are agreeable on carpool and can also go to the court in buses. “If that helps we are ready for it. We have to send across a message.”

The Supreme Court had recently imposed environment compensation charge of Rs700 (Dh38) and Rs1,300 on polluting trucks entering Delhi. This resulted in 30 per cent reduction of commercial vehicles entering the city.

The government had earlier also announced a fine for burning waste, but it is not being enforced strictly and almost everyday there are reports of garbage piled up being set on fire, which contributes to the toxic particulate pollution. In addition, construction dust too continues to be a problem despite National Green Tribunal’s orders of imposing a fine of Rs50,000 on violators.

Though there is still a long way to go before the proposed car plan ban can be successfully implemented, the issue has drawn massive reactions — from some terming it bizarre to others applauding the move.

Ved Mathur, a student, asked, “How will I go to school? My parents drop me at school and take the vehicle to work, as they run a business in Noida. It will not be feasible for middle-income group people like us to hire a cab every alternate day. But when I see the bigger picture and the activists fighting to curb pollution in the city, I feel responsible. I only hope we can think of alternative ways to curb poisonous air in Delhi.”

In the face of criticism from certain quarters, Kejriwal maintained, “We had one option that we could continue doing homework for the next two years even as children would continue to cough and die.”

Experts claim things have come to such a pass because of the callous attitude of the citizens and successive governments that have been too liberal and lackadaisical for years.

M.C. Mehta, the lawyer whose petition on air pollution in Delhi triggered the Supreme Court orders to curb pollution, said.

“It is good to see the government taking steps to reduce number of vehicles. It is time people gave up some comfort for the larger good.

“In cities like Atlanta they have emergency alarms. You have to stop your vehicle on the road and wait for 2-3 hours till emission levels are controlled. If you can see air pollution as the emergency it has become, you should be willing to cooperate as a citizen.”

Meanwhile, green experts are hailing the move, saying drastic conditions needed a tough decision. Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment said, “I am wondering why we are waiting for January 1. We should begin this right away because we have to take emergency actions for emergency situations.”

She acknowledged it was going to be difficult to execute the measure but let the government implement it because in Delhi, “we need a strong and a forceful government.”

However, daily commuters are not convinced. Entrepreneur Arvind Khera remarked, “The existing transport infrastructure may just prove incapable to accommodate the extra passenger load arising due to implementation of new formula. People may be forced to buy new cars with alternate registration numbers, which may sabotage the government’s move. The government has probably not thought that thousands of people travel from Noida, Ghaziabad and Gurgaon to Delhi and vice versa.”

But, on its end, while all government departments have been told to come up with detailed action plans, the CM has reiterated, “We will ensure that trips by buses are increased, including adding 4000 buses. We shall also see if Metro can run more trains. At the same time, people’s suggestions on the formula are being sought.”

Along with this, the Delhi Dialogue Commission, an advisory body of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government held a consultation with over a dozen providers to enable and expand ride-sharing, car pooling and shuttle services in the city from next year.

Kejriwal also mentioned that the government will curb spread of dust and ensure cleaning of roads by the Public Works Department from April 1. It was even mulling to allow movement of trucks only after 11pm, as they slow down overall vehicular movement, a major contributing factor to pollution.

Even as the government decided to make it mandatory for vehicles to have Euro VI standards for vehicular emission from 2017, health minister Satyendra Jain said, “Pollution level has gone up in winter in Delhi. Due to heavy smog, such a situation has emerged that people are being advised against going for exercise outdoors.”

The capital’s noxious air is ranked as the worst globally in a World Health Organisation survey of more than 1000 cities. Delhi gets highlighted because it has more motor vehicles than all the other metros put together and severely polluting industries, many being run out of residential spaces.

As the issue is drawing mixed reactions, agencies concerned are apprehensive, as they do not have the necessary manpower. The foremost being how the traffic police, already overburdened with duties, would take up the additional work.

A senior police officer remarked, “Manpower will be the main stumbling block. Out of the nearly 6000 traffic policemen deployed in Delhi, nearly 30 per cent are put on VIP duties while another 30 per cent manage traffic at intersections in northeast and west Delhi where violations are rampant.

“On a regular day, about 2 million vehicles ply in the city and five million more pass through Delhi. Even if the numbers are halved, it would be impossible to implement the order under the current situation. As it is, there’s a necessity of over 4,000 more men, but with this additional work, we can only request the authorities to reconsider their plan.”

But if ordered to implement the orders, the department claims it will pitch for hefty fines ranging between Rs1,000 to Rs4,000, as Delhiites don’t hesitate paying Rs100 or Rs200 for violating rules and they may end up driving the vehicles everyday.