Bring back odd-even scheme: Plea in HC

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the city government to take into consideration the suggestion of a petition asking for re-introduction of the odd-even vehicle scheme through awareness campaign and with differential parking and toll tariff.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath asked the Delhi government to treat the petition as representation and consider the suggestions stated in the petition filed by advocate Jeetender Gupta.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said 'jan sabhas' (public meetings) will be held across the city to seek public opinion on the odd-even scheme, which will be rolled out as and when people decide.

Gupta in his petition said the scheme urgently needs to be continued, maybe on voluntary basis through awareness campaigns and support of volunteer groups, keeping in mind the larger interest of the society.

"The Delhi government is aware of the alarming pollution level. They have failed to continue the policy in some form or the other especially when a large section of Delhi residents were voluntarily supporting the policy and could have continued to support the policy on voluntary policy had it been extended in some form," said the plea.

The voluntary cooperation of the public along with differential parking and toll tariff can help in sustaining the odd-even policy on long term basis, which will ultimately reduce air pollution and traffic congestion in the city, it added.

"The Delhi government can re-introduce the scheme by using a differential tariff approach by charging double parking rate from odd-even vehicles on even-odd dates without exempting any category whatsoever.

"And if the parking meter is automated, the parking ticket could predetermine the tariff by automatically checking the vehicle number," it stated.

It can reintroduce the scheme by using a differential tariff approach by charging "double toll charges from odd-even vehicles on even-odd dates entering GNCT of Delhi from toll barriers such as Noida (Uttar Pradesh) and Faridabad (Haryana) without exempting any category," said the plea.