The effectiveness of the AAP government’s ambitious odd-even scheme is set to be compromised as it exempted the two-wheelers from its ambit, which due to their staggering number are major polluters in the national capital.
Environmentalists and experts have raised serious concerns over the seriousness of the scheme, which was initiated as an emergency measure due to the deteriorating quality of air in the city.
According to the estimates by the Centre for Science and Environment, two-wheelers constitute 64 per cent of the total vehicular population in the city and contribute as much as 31 per cent of the total particulate load in Delhi’s air. “The exemptions, notably to the two-wheelers, reduce the overall effectiveness of the scheme. Due to their sheer number, their contribution to the pollution levels in Delhi is high and therefore they should be included in the scheme’s ambit,” Anumita Roy Chowdhury, CSE executive director, said.
“If the two-wheeler segment is left out and a sizeable number of cars are also allowed because of the exemption granted to single women drivers, the overall effectiveness of the programme will be compromised. It cannot act as an emergency measure to bring down the peak pollution level,” she added.
Apart from being major polluters, the two-wheelers also significantly occupy the road space in the city. The registered number of two wheelers in the National Capital Territory of Delhi is 55 lakh, which is more than double the number of four-wheelers at 27 lakh. “Out of the total registered two-wheelers in the city, 60 to 65 per cent hit the roads on a daily basis. The vehicular population of two-wheelers on various road stretches in Delhi varies from 30 to 40 per cent on an average per day,” a senior scientist with the Central Road Research Institute said.
Elaborating on the emissions caused by the two-wheelers in the city, he said that of the total number, 60 to 65 per cent are run on the four-stroke engine and rest are run on the two stroke engine.
“The emissions caused by the four-stroke two-wheelers is 50 ppm and those on two stroke engine emit 70-75 ppm,” he explained.
According to the estimates, after granting exemptions to 25 categories of vehicles, a meagre eight lakh cars can be kept off the roads on a daily basis of over 75 lakh vehicular population in the city.
The environmental experts said that exempting such a large number of vehicles, including the VIPs, single women drivers and commercial vehicles, would defeat the purpose of the road rationing experiment.
Urging the government to take the two-wheelers and also disallowing the exemptions granted to the single women drivers, Ms Roy Chowdhuri said that the government must take into account the fact that once this programme gets implemented and private vehicles on the roads are halved, road space will be freed up for more improved operations of all buses, autos and taxis. The existing and the augmented bus numbers can do more trips and carry more people. She said that this programme will have to be enforced with seriousness of intent and to make a difference to the air quality of Delhi.
