Delhi Pollution: No Odd-Even Scheme For Now As Air Quality Improves In National Capital

Delhi Odd-Even Scheme: Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the government would review the pollution situation after Diwali and take a call on the odd-even scheme.

The odd-even scheme was first introduced in 2016 by the Arvind Kejriwal government

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The Delhi government on Friday defered the implementation of the odd-even car rationing scheme in the national capital due to an improvement in the air quality following rains, PTI reported. Addressing a press conference, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai said the government would review the situation after Diwali.

The government had earlier announced that the odd-even scheme would be enforced between November 13 and November 20.

"Delhi's pollution reached 'severe' category, but with the change in weather and due to rain, the pollution situation improved. The AQI came down to lower than 300, which had previously reached up to 450. So, the odd-even plan scheduled from November 13-20 is now postponed," Rai said.

Introduced by the Arvind Kejriwal government in 2016 to combat pollution in the national capital, the scheme entails vehicles having number plates ending with odd numbers plying on odd-numbered dates, and vice versa.

The decision to postpone the vehicle rationing scheme came as moderate rains in Delhi led to an improvement in the air quality. The national capital was reeling under "severe" air quality as toxic smog blanketed the city over the past week.  

Delhi's AQI was recorded at 314, which falls in the "very poor" category, at 1 pm, PTI reported. It was 460 at 11 pm on Thursday. With Diwali just a day away, the meteorological department has predicted a further improvement in air quality due to favourable wind speed, which will disperse the pollutants.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court rapped the Delhi government when it sought an order to extend the imposition of the odd-even scheme on taxis as well.

"Don't try to non-perform and shift the burden onto the court. Now you're making a hue and cry about how other people will be affected. Amicus has said odd-even does not help. Now, you want it for taxis," the Supreme Court said, according to legal news website Live Law.

Previously, the top court had questioned the effectiveness of the policy in controlling air pollution and termed it as "optics".

The Delhi government, through an affidavit, said the odd-even policy had reduced road congestion and fuel consumption, citing studies. The government said there was a decrease of 6 per cent vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) during the odd-even scheme period in the capital. The policy to curb vehicular emissions also led to an estimated 15 per cent decrease in fuel consumption on average day, the goverment said.

The government also cited a DIMTS report to claim that the odd-even policy had a positive impact on the reduction of air pollution contributed by vehicles, besides reduction of congestion on Delhi roads.