A day after it was rapped by the Delhi High Court, the state government on Friday said that it would implement by far the most stringent measure adopted so far to curb vehicular pollution in the national capital.
As per the decision taken by the Delhi government, vehicles with license plate numbers ending in an odd or even number will be allowed to ply only every alternate day of the week. It will be implemented from January 1.
All private vehicles even having registration numbers issued by neighbouring states will have to follow the odd-even number formula.
The smog in Delhi has reached alarming levels. Source: Reuters
The government is also planning to allow movement of trucks only after 11 PM as they slow down traffic. The government will also make it compulsory for vehicles to have Euro VI standards from 2017, two years before the central government does so.
The government said it will also improve public transport significantly.
But there was no clarity on:
Whether the Centre, which handles the Delhi Police, has agreed to the scheme
Whether the police is prepared to implement such a large scheme
Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju, who would be part of the decision on whether the Delhi Police can implement this, has said that he can’t comment on the proposal since he hadn’t seen it.
There are other cities in the world that have experimented with this in the past. Like:
Beijing
Representaitonal image. Source: Reuters
The Chinese capital enforces the odd-even license plate formula every time the air quality
gets worse. Under the rule, cars can travel between 3 am and 12 pm depending on their license plate numbers if the air quality is bad, says this report. Trucks and other heavy vehicles are banned completely.
Paris
Representational image. Source: Reuters
The French capital has in the past enforced the alternate licence plate formula but experimented with it for just a day.
London
Representational image. Source: Reuters
London implemented a vehicle exclusion rule during the 2012 Olympics so that air pollution and congestion was reduced.
And then there are cities like Norway’s capital Oslo which has restrictions presently, but wants to ban cars completely by 2019!
Delhi’s plan to restrict traffic is by far the most ambitious in India. But can it be implemented?
Featured image: Reuters