Indian capital starts limiting cars for 2 weeks to clear air

“This plan will only be successful when it becomes a very big movement, when people will want to obey it from their heart”, he said as he urged Delhiites to cooperate. “We thank all people for choosing their children’s health”. “Kejriwal ji will even propose this idea in the next global climate summit”. “Initially we were a bit anxious about Kejriwal’s proclamation but then we consulted with LG sahab and he assured us that imposing a curfew is not amongst the approximately 5 powers the CM of Delhi has”.

“I appeal to people to cooperate with Delhi Traffic Police for 15 days”, said Bassi, assuring that adequate personnel have been deployed for implementation of the scheme throughout the city. So I am surprised and happy that so many people are following (the rules). “I am truly overwhelmed by the response”. Rishabh opted for flexi-hours at work, tweaking his work timings to match those of his vehicle pooling partners. Despite a positive first day, the challenge for Kerjriwal’s government has only just begun: there are several sources besides private cars that blight the city’s air, including motorbikes, which were exempt from the ban along with private cars driven by women, ill people, and government ministers. Rebutting charges of Opposition BJP and Congress that the odd-even formula was launched without adequate preparations, Mr. Rai said they were opposing the scheme just for the “sake of opposition”.

The mobile units of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee collected ambient air data from 24 locations of eight assembly constituencies – Malviya Nagar, New Delhi, Kasturba Nagar, Seemapuri, Rohtas Nagar, Patparganj, Kondli and Greater kailash.

Across the city, including at major arteries in central Delhi, traffic police were seen stopping violators.

Over the past few days, a side industry supplying fake number plates has sprung up across the city, while the city’s richer residents have simply bought second cars with an alternate number plate to sidestep the ban.

The politician, who travels in a vehicle with an odd-numbered licence plate, carpooled with two Cabinet ministers.

Friday’s experience showed that the city was eager to participate in the experiment – rest even though the real test won’t come until Monday, when the city gets back to work again after the long weekend. “That time people of Delhi wanted a corruption-free city”.

Jain, the nodal minister to deal with issues relating to environment, said a political party which ruled Delhi in the past only talked about the odd-even scheme but did not have the guts to implement it.

However, critics have warned that the plan is impractical due to Delhi’s inadequate public transport system and poor last-mile connectivity from metro stations.

India’s capital has been shrouded in a toxic blanket of smog in recent weeks as winter sets in and cooler temperatures trap pollutants in the atmosphere pushing harmful PM 2.5 levels sky-high. But police said fining was not their main aim. He said that the government will assess the situation on January 15, and take a fresh call about measures to be adopted. Nine complaints were also made against bus services.