Delhi govt blinks on oddeven
APPEAL MODE Defers road rationing scheme after green tribunal disallows exemption to women, twowheeler drivers
The Delhi government on Saturday shelved its plan to introduce a five-day road rationing arrangement after the National Green Tribunal refused exemption for two-wheeler riders and women. The drive would have mandated that vehicles with odd and even registration numbers to ply only on alternate days.
“We respect the NGT’s order, but the existing public transport system won’t be able to take the load of three million additional passengers who otherwise use two-wheelers,” Kailash Gahlot, state transport minister, said on Saturday. “Also, keeping women’s security in mind, the government has decided to call off the scheme for now.”
The Delhi government said it will approach the green court again on Monday, and request that exemptions be given for women drivers and two-wheelers. Subject to the NGT decision, the Delhi government will “consider implementing it again”.
The government had on Thursday announced it would introduce the odd-even drive from November 13 to 17, with pollution levels continuing to be “severe” for more than 48 hours. However, it had chosen to retain the exemptions it allowed the last two times, especially twowheeler riders, to which the NGT too exception.
Out of Delhi’s total vehicular population of over 10 million, two-wheelers constitute around 6.3 million. The NGT said vehicles contribute around 20% to the
NEWDELHI:
city’s pollution, of which nearly 30% comes from two wheelers.
The air quality of Delhi-NCR, which had touched emergency levels on Tuesday, improved significantly on Saturday. The average AQI of Delhi, which was 468 on Friday and 486 on Thursday, dropped to 403 on the weekend, the fifth consecutive day it stayed in the “severe” range.
Earlier in the day, the NGT told the government that it was free to implement the road rationing arrangement but said withdrawing the decision would also be the
administration’s call. “We know you are looking for a shelter. But we will not give it. You have taken a call. Please go ahead with it,” a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar told the government’s counsel.