Odd-even likely to return to Delhi as air quality worsens

With the air quality in Delhi and NCR increasingly getting worse ahead of winter, the city government has said it may bring back the oddeven vehicle rationing scheme to limit the number of cars on the roads.

In a letter written on Wednesday, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot directed the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to gear up for implementation of the odd-even scheme – under which private vehicles with odd registration numbers will be allowed to run on odd dates and those with even numbers will run on even dates from 8 am to 8 pm, reports IANS.

Weekends and public holidays were exempted from the first two rounds of the vehicle rationing scheme. Others exempted included CNG and electric cars, twowheelers, cars driven by women and vehicles with a woman driver with a male companion below 12. Vehicles for medical emergencies, occupied or driven by people with disabilities, VVIPs and enforcement cars were also allowed to run on all days.

The Minister also directed DTC to “chalk out an action plan for procurement of buses/conductors and submit the same within seven days”.

“With the increase in pollution level in Delhi the government may have to resort to emergency measures, including implementation of odd-even scheme,” the letter read.

“It is, therefore, essential that the Transport Department/DTC/DIMTS are fully geared up for implementation of the scheme as and when the same is announced.”