With pollution levels in the Capital expected to peak in the coming days, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot has directed multiple departments engaged in public transportation to “gear up” for the possible implementation of the odd-even vehicle rationing scheme.
Aimed at reducing vehicular emission levels by placing restrictions, and imposing penalties, on the use of private vehicles with odd last digit registration numbers on even days and vice-versa while simultaneously promoting the use of State-run buses and increasing the frequency of the Delhi Metro, the scheme has, so far, been implemented twice in Delhi.
Action plan
In a written communication to it on Wednesday, Mr. Gahlot directed the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to firm up and submit an action plan for the procurement of buses and conductors to be pressed into service if the need to implement the scheme was felt.
“With the increase in pollution level in Delhi, the government may have to resort to emergency measures, including implementation of Odd/Even Scheme,” the Minister said.
“It is, therefore, essential that the Transport Department/DTC/DIMTS are fully geared up for implementation of the Scheme as and when the same is announced. In this regard, procurement of additional buses by DTC shall be the main component...DTC is directed to chalk out an Action Plan for procurement of buses/conductors and submit the same within seven days,” he stated further.
The DTC has a fleet of around 4,000 buses while the Delhi Integrated Multimodal Transit System (DIMTS) also runs over 1,600 buses under the cluster scheme.
As per estimates, there is a need for around 11,000 buses to cater to the Capital holistically.
The scheme was implemented in the city in two phases; first from January 1 to January 15 and the second from April 15 to 30, in 2016. The scheme can be implemented when air pollution levels persist in the ‘emergency’ category for 48 hours or more.
Last week, the Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), a body empowered to enforce the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), had said that, if needed, it would not hesitate to enforce the odd-even plan, order cars off roads, and shut schools.
Major challenge
The GRAP was notified by the Centre in January this year after an order by the Apex court in November 2016, to frame and implement it to control air pollution. A major challenge in implementing the scheme is poor public transport facilities in the city, despite a well developed Delhi Metro network.
Augmentation of public transport and last mile connectivity in Delhi and other parts of the NCR is critical but, as per the EPCA, has found that instead of improvement, there is a declining bus fleet and ridership in the Capital.
The EPCA has already taken tough measures like shutting the Badarpur thermal power plant, brick kilns, and banning generators, after the ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories of air pollution levels came into force from October 17 and will continue till March 15, 2018.
