Odd-numbered cars to run on Monday, Wednesday & Friday

The Delhi government's odd-even plan is aimed at curbing the city's increasing pollution and traffic menace

Outlining the contours of its ambitious plan to curb pollution through odd-even number plate formula, Delhi government on Sunday said odd-numbered cars would be allowed to ply on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while even-numbered vehicles would run on the other days - Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain said the government will only allow emergency vehicles like PCR van, fire tenders, ambulances on the roads of the national capital.

While the Delhi government is yet to make its position clear regarding the rule on Sunday, some media reports said all vehicles would be allowed to ply on that day. Jain, who is also PWD and health minister, said there is a need to take strict measures to clean the city’s toxic air and even-odd formula will also be applicable on all ministers and bureaucrats in the national capital region.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that the government would discontinue the move after 10 to 15 days if people faced problems.

“On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, odd-numbered vehicles will be allowed on roads in a week. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday will have even numbered vehicles on roads, and we don’t care about which cars belonged to whom,” Jain said.

“The Odd-even formula will also be applicable on all ministers and officers. I will also use my car on alternate days and will use carpooling service on other days,” Jain said.

The minister has also sought people’s suggestions on the government’s odd-even formula. People can send their suggestions to pollutionfreedelhi@gmail.com, he said. “Pollution level has gone up in winter in Delhi. Due to heavy smog, such a situation has emerged that people are being advised against going for exercise,” he said. Jain also said that the government also will do something about rampant use of generators by companies in the national capital which also contribute to pollution.

“We will soon discuss this issue in a meeting,” Jain said. On December 4, the Aam Aadmi Party government had come out with a plan of restricting private vehicles bearing odd and even registration numbers to alternate days from January 1 in the national capital.