Kejriwal to meet Rajnath on odd-even formula

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday sought a meeting with union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss the rationing of vehicles on the capital's roads from January 1.

Kejriwal tweeted he had sought the audience to "discuss implementation of the odd-even formula".

The Delhi government has announced that from the start of 2016, private vehicles with odd registration numbers will ply on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and with even numbers on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The plan for Sundays is yet to be announced.

The decision followed widespread warnings that Delhi's air pollution had breached tolerable limits, and after the judiciary ruled that the city had become like a "gas chamber".

On Sunday, Kejriwal's odd-even formula earned the backing of new Supreme Court Chief Justice T.S. Thakur who said he won't mind taking a bus to the court or even walking down from his residence to work.

The national capital has nearly 90 lakh registered vehicles, with cars accounts for nearly a third of the vehicular population.

The odd-even division won't apply to CNG-driven public transport including buses, taxis and auto-rickshaws.

If implemented, the measure is expected to steeply bring down the number of vehicles on Delhi's choked roads. Air pollution is also tipped to fall, providing solace to those hit by pollution-related health issues.

But Delhi being the national capital, the Delhi government's path-breaking decision will need the backing of the central government,

Aam Aadmi Party sources said Kejriwal's request for a meeting with Rajnath Singh should be seen in this context.

The Kejriwal government has been at loggerheads with the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a host of issues though both are seemingly committed to cleaning up Delhi's polluted air.