Delhi Govt's Car Proposal to Curb Pollution Evokes Sharp Reactions

The Delhi government's proposal to allow private vehicles, including two-wheelers, with odd and even registration numbers on the roads of the national capital only on alternate days has generated quite a few sharp reactions.

The proposal says that from January 1, 2016, if vehicles with number plates ending with an odd number can be driven one day, only those ending with an even number can be brought out the next day. This rule will not apply to public vehicles.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government also added that, initially, they intend to do a trial run for a fortnight from January 1 to 15.

Also Read: Odd-Even Formula to Keep Nearly 10 Lakh Private Vehicles Off Roads in Delhi

Social media was abuzz with reactions as soon as the decision was announced, with quite a few Twitter users making hilarious observations and giving their own spin on what needs to be done.

After Jan 1, people with odd & even number plates be like... #OddEvenFormula #DelhiOddEvenLogic pic.twitter.com/quH1dR0N5v

— Abhijeet Bhatt (@foonyguy) December 4, 2015

Make the public transport so amazing that people deliberately leave their cars at home, like in singapore #DelhiOddEvenLogic

— Teju (@PinkCancerian) December 5, 2015

#DelhiOddEvenLogic Boss:Why haven't you reached office yet? Employee: My odds of reaching office are not evenly balanced by #दिल्ली सरकार

— Crazy Brahmin (@iKartikeymishra) December 5, 2015

So all @AamAadmiParty MLAs are going to buy 2 cars with Odd & even number, Salary badh gayi hai ab toh? #DelhiOddEvenLogic

— Mukesh Mishra (@Mishra__Mukesh) December 5, 2015

Matrimonial ads in Delhi:#DelhiOddEvenLogic Wanted Fair/Tall/Beautiful culturd Non FB User girl wth Odd No Plate fr IIT boy with Even plates

— Sapna Mishra (@ISapnaMishra) December 5, 2015

Kejriwal Sirji, How about not attending office on Odd days... I want to be even about your logic... #DelhiOddEvenLogic

— Aadha_Kameena.. (@patrose2020) December 5, 2015

While tweeple were having a bit of a field day, the government said that that it hoped to cut down vehicular pollution in Delhi by half with this measure.

"Every year pollution level increases in winter. For some time, odd and even numbered vehicles will run on alternate days. Alternate arrangements are being made to bolster public transport. DTC buses, Metro services will ply extra. We are still working out the modalities," said KK Sharma, Delhi Principal Secretary.

The method, more commonly known as road space rationing, is followed in various forms across the world. However, its implementation could prove to be a major challenge since over two million vehicles would have to be kept off Delhi roads every day.

The model is already in force in Beijing, which Delhi surpassed last year to be ranked as the world's most polluted city in a WHO report.

Experts said that before taking this decision, there was a need to strengthen public transport first.

"Implementation of this policy is going to put lots of pressure on both the government and vehicle owners. When we do not have a strong public transport system, how can we expect everyone to adhere to this?" Vikrant Tongad, an environmentalist working with Delhi-based Social Action for Forest and Environment, asked.

"What rubbish! Does the government even understand why most of the people use private vehicles? Mostly people use cars to cut the long duration of travel time in buses and also avoid the number of buses that need to change during transit. The easier way to curb pollution was to increase public transport for all routes, which would certainly encourage people to curb the usage of private vehicles," said Rajeev Snehi, a sales manager with a reputed company who travels to Noida every day from south Delhi in his car.

The announcement was made by the government on Friday, a day after the Delhi High Court said living in Delhi was like "living in a gas chamber".

The High Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) have repeatedly sought workable action plans to combat the menace of pollution in Delhi where the Air Quality Index, a measure of pollutants in the air, has hit dangerous levels in recent days.

Pollution typically worsens in the winter months as the cooling of temperatures combines with pollution to cover the city, home to 16 million people, in smog.

(With inputs from NDTV's Sonal Mehrotra and IANS)