All the ministers of Delhi, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, carpooled to their offices on the first day of the New Year when only odd-numbered cars are allowed on the roads.
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“The real test though would lie in how Delhi reacts from January 4 onwards”. Then we will stop it and reassess.
The plan will be imposed between 8am and 8pm from Monday to Sunday, and will be enforced by traffic policemen and several thousand volunteers who will check cars at intersections.
He said, “Practically it is not possible to implement the odd-even scheme permanently”.
“Not only the new rule helps in bringing down pollution, it will also prevent traffic congestion in the city”, said 60-year-old Pramita Sharma, another resident.
The much-discussed scheme finally out in New Delhi from 8 am to 8 pm.
The Chief Minister said that as per initial reports, the plan has been “quite successful” and people in the national capital have largely accepted the restrictions with an “open mind”.
Schools have been ordered to remain closed for the period so that their buses can be used to ferry commuters to work. Violators coughed up Rs 2,000 as fine, as per the odd-even rule.
Most drivers appeared to be adhering to the rule with Delhi’s usually clogged roads flowing relatively freely.
Mr Sisodia said the people of Delhi were participating in a “virtuous” initiative to reduce pollution adding that he also did not find any even numbered auto on the road. But I am happy to see the overwhelming response from the people.
“25 kms stretch from home to office… saw only three cars with even numbers”. “Policy and public support is critical at a time when there is at least one death per hour due to air pollution-related diseases and every third child in the city has impaired lungs”.
Gyanendra, a dentist at Maulana Azad Institute of Medical Sciences, said: “I think it is a good step to check pollution in Delhi”.
As of January 1, only men with odd numbered plates will be allowed to drive private cars in New Delhi, while those with even numbers will have to wait till Saturday.
Delhi police commissioner BS Bassi, in an interaction with the Indian Express said, “I appeal to the people to cooperate with traffic police for 15 days as we are doing something for our environment”. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal along with his Cabinet ministers left no stone unturned to motivate people of the city to follow odd-even scheme and make it a success.
Pollution live metres have been installed at six place in Delhi by the state government for monitoring real-time air quality.
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This winter, the amount of PM2.5 in the air has regularly reached highly risky levels, leading Delhi’s High Court to compare conditions in the city to “living in a gas chamber”.
