In a relief to the nearly 70 lakh two-wheeler riders in Delhi, the Supreme Court on Monday stayed a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order making the odd-even vehicle rotation scheme applicable to all, including scooters and motorbikes.
A Bench led by Justice Madan B. Lokur also exempted women driving four-wheelers from the odd-even scheme.
Govt’s challenge
The Delhi government, represented by Additional Solicitor General A.N.S. Nadkarni, had challenged the tribunal’s order which said “there shall be no exemption to any persons, officer and individual and the two-wheelers from the ambit and scope of the odd-even scheme. They will be applied with equal rigour to all cases and all vehicles.”
Staying this direction, the Bench recorded in its order that “the submission of Additional Solicitor General is that women and two-wheelers may be granted an exemption.
We accede to the request of the Additional Solicitor General and, for the time being, stay the operation of the direction mentioned above in respect of women and two-wheelers.”
Women’s safety
During the hearing, the Delhi government submitted that the public transport system would not be able to accommodate the extra load. The Bench’s decision to exempt women came after the Delhi government raised the issue of their safety.
The odd-even scheme was introduced by the AAP government as a novel measure to combat vehicular pollution, especially during the winter season.
Odd and even numbered vehicles were to ply on alternate days under the scheme. It comes into effect as soon as the particulate matter PM10 and PM 2.5 rises to 500 microgram per cubic metre and 300 microgram per cubic metre, respectively, for 48 hours.
Mr. Nadkarni argued that the tribunal’s order, if implemented, would see 25 lakh more people travel in public transport. Accommodating such a hike in commuters would be an “impossible” task, he submitted.
