Delhi begins auto restriction plan to tackle pollution

“Overwhelmed” by the response he got over the implementation of the odd-even plan for cars in the national capital to control pollution level in the city, Delhi Chief Arvind Kejriwal quoted musician John Lennon’s words on Friday to appreciate the participation of people. Still, traffic police and volunteers said the full impact could not really be measured until Monday, a full working day, when many private offices reopen after the New Year holiday. As Delhi takes to the formula, government said violators of the rule will not be allowed access to authorised parking spaces in the city.

Carpooling and cycling were endorsed by Delhiites on social media as they posed for pictures at public hangouts like India Gate and Connaught Place on the weekend. “I would like to thank Delhi traffic Police, civil defence volunteers and sub divisional magistrates for their cooperation”, Rai said.+ Earlier, there were tensions between the Delhi government and Delhi police after city police chief B S Bassi warned volunteers against overzealousness and acting on their own. “I for example have an odd numbered vehicle and so on an even day I will use my cycle”, he said.

Many categories of people have been given exemptions from the restricions, including emergency service vehicles, taxis, cars driven by women travelling alone and those with female co-passengers and children upto the age of 12. Along with two wheelers, cars operating on natural gas have been exempted.

The scheme allows cars with odd-numbered registration plates running on odd dates and even-numbered ones on even dates. If you denied this rule and caught breaking “Odd-Even Rule”, You will be charged a fine of Rs 2,000.

Yesterday, 203 people were challaned for the violation of norms in the odd-even scheme.

The pilot plan will stay in force till January 15.

To enable implementation of the odd even rule, several offices and residents’ associations have arranged car-pools.

As we already know that it’s odd-even formula so half of the traffic is already cut away which again helps for decreasing pollution level of delhi.

Even as pollution and congestion are yet to go through a sustained test, the positiveness around the policy doesn’t hurt as many car-owners reported reaching their destinations quicker than they usually would. Air quality is considered “severe” by Indian authorities when the level of PM 2.5 breaches the 250 mark. “By and large, the people of Delhi have adopted the anti-pollution drive with an open heart. Delhi will show the way to the rest of the country”, Kejriwal told reporters outside his residence.

Despite China’s reputation for poor air quality, India’s cities dominate the top of the World Health Organization’s ranking of cities with the highest concentration of PM2.5 – particles 2.5 micrograms in width, small enough to lodge and accumulate in the lungs.