Delhi’s government hopes to cut pollution in the capital by restricting the number of vehicles on the roads for two weeks from Friday -first road-rating system to check rising pollution levels in Delhi. From January1 to 15, Odd and Even number license plates will only be allowed on the roads on even-numbered dates.
Delhi’s air pollution has been level of dangerous one-and-a-half times worse by comparison, than in Beijing over the past week. The pollution level in Delhi has reached alarming proportions, prompting a bench of Delhi High Court judges to compare the city to a gas chamber.
Unlike Beijing, Delhi currently has no formal mechanism for issuing alerts and advisories for pollution; The odd-even formula is part of a experiment to reduce pollution levels in Delhi, introduced by Delhi government in recent weeks to try to improve air quality, including a temporary ban on the registration of larger diesels cars, sports-utility vehicles and minivans. But plenty of people still don’t have to worry about the new odd-even restrictions.
Here’s who’ll get exemptions, who won’t;
Women driving alone or accompanied by children under the age of 12, are exempt, as are cars driven by the physically disabled. CNG cars, electric cars and vans that run on compressed natural gas, two-wheelers and VIP vehicles will not be pulled aside. The rules don’t apply to emergency vehicles, including ambulances and fire engines, and hearses and prison vehicles are also not included.
All school students in Delhi are excused from school during the 15-day trial. In order to free-up enough buses to add 6,000 more to the roads, Delhi’s government has said that it will cancel classes and commandeer school buses to ferry the extra passengers around the city.
Cars bearing odd number plates would not be even allowed to park in public parking lots during even number dates and vice-versa. Cars, if found parked on designated bus lanes being marked across the city, would also attract penalty. If a car is coming from out of Delhi and is breaking the odd-even rule, a fine will be levied.
The AAP chief said that they will carpool to work during the trial period. Transport Minister Gopal Rai said that all the officers will also follow the scheme. Nearly 10 lakh private vehicles are expected to daily stay off Delhi roads from 1st January to 15th January that may help in reduction in pollution levels in the Delhi.