Delhi government files odd-even review petition before NGT; asks for exemption of two wheelers and women drivers.

The Delhi government on Monday, filed a review petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), asking the green panel to exempt two wheelers and women drivers from the odd even car rationing scheme.

In the petition submitted to the Tribunal, the government has put forth that it does not have an adequate amount of public transport to tackle the surge in passengers, if two wheelers are not exempted from the scheme.

“In case of inclusion of two wheelers in odd even scheme, approximately 34 lakh two wheelers will be off road each day. By taking a minimum conservative estimate, at least 25 lakh two wheeler owners will have to use the other modes of transport on a particular day” read the petition.

Further, the petition said that in order to accommodate 25 lakh additional passengers, the government required at least 2500 buses for the successful implementation of the scheme. “In case the scheme is implemented without addition of such number of buses, it will cause great hardship to these persons” the petition said.

Asking the green panel to reconsider its orders on the inclusion of women drivers in the odd even scheme, the petition said, “The crowding in public transport buses may deter the women passengers in using the bus mode because of safety and security reasons and therefore, the purpose of the scheme will be defeated.”

Additionally, the government submitted before the Tribunal that the problem of shortage of public transport will be addressed within a year, after which two wheelers and women drivers could be ‘included in the non-exempted categories.’

The NGT on Saturday had directed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to not exempt two wheelers as they contributed to 30% of the total vehicular pollution.

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Swatanter Kumar had said, ““According to them (Central Pollution Control Board), firstly the two wheelers are much more in number than other class of vehicles and secondly, they emit serious pollutants like Carbon Monoxide and Hydro Carbon which are not emitted or negligibly emitted by the petrol vehicles.”

The Tribunal is expected to hear the matter on Tuesday.