After NGT rap, Delhi government defers odd-even

New Delhi: Hours after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) gave conditional nod to the odd-even, the Delhi government cancelled its plan to implement the road rationing scheme from Monday, expressing its inability to implement the scheme from Monday without exemptions given to women and two-wheelers. 

The AAP government said it will move the NGT on Monday requesting a review of its order and if the exemptions are granted, the scheme’s implementation “will be considered”.

After a meeting chaired by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, transport minister Kailash Gahlot announced that the measure, which was to be implemented between November 13 and 17, was being “called off” as the number of buses were inadequate and women’s safety could not be compromised.

In a statement, the government later said that it has decided to “defer” its implementation. Mr Gahlot said the authorities are ready to roll it out immediately if the exemptions are granted. “This government gives highest priority to the safety and security of women,” he added.

“Further, this government feels that considering the large number of two-wheelers in Delhi, unless adequate number of buses are available, implementation of odd-even will cause great hardship to such persons. This is not feasible to arrange such a large number of buses at this stage,” a Delhi government statement said.

Earlier, the government announced exemptions for women drivers, two-wheelers and vehicles carrying children in school uniforms, besides VVIPs.

“The odd-even will go on. No exemption of any kind to any one, including two-wheelers, women, public officers or politicians, except essential services,” NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar ordered on Saturday, adding that only CNG vehicles, emergency services such as ambulance and fire, and vehicles carrying waste shall be exempted.

Earlier in the day, the tribunal said that in future the odd-even scheme should automatically come into force if the PM2.5 and PM10, particles in air with diameter less than 2.5 and 10mm respectively, goes above the 300 and 500 mark respectively for 48 hours. The tribunal directed to implement the odd-even “right away” without waiting for 48 hours, in case PM2.5 and PM10 go beyond 400 and 700 units respectively.

The NGT’s decision came after the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) told the bench that two-wheelers were more polluting than other vehicles, and emissions from two-wheelers accounted for over 20 per cent of the total vehicular pollution.

Taking strong exception to the decision to increase parking fees in Delhi by four times, the NGT ordered the city government and the authorities concerned to reconsider the decision. “The hike in parking fees will only benefit the contractors and would stress people by encouraging them to park vehicles on the roads instead, choking them in the process.

“The extra money collected would not come to the government for sure. You are only enriching the contractors through the order,” it said.

The NGT, which gave a conditional nod to the scheme, said that it should be implemented as and when PM (particulate matter) 10 level goes above 500 micrograms per cubic metre and PM 2.5 level crosses the limit of 300 micrograms per cubic metre and persist for 48 hours at a stretch.

While passing several directives, the NGT said every entry point to Delhi should be properly managed by the city government, the corporations should ensure that there was no congestion, and Uttar Pradesh and Haryana should depute special forces at the border of the national capital to avoid traffic jams.

It also issued notices to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC) to show cause why construction was still going on.