753 people challaned for violating odd-even scheme

As many as 753 violators of the odd-even scheme were challaned today, the 11th day of the car-rationing measure's implementation in the National Capital.
The police penalised 209 motorists for violating the vehicular restriction norms, enforcement teams of the government's Transport department fined 304 motorists and Revenue department booked 240, said senior officials.
On Saturday, the authorities had booked 875 violators of the scheme, which will run till January 15.
Officials of Delhi Metro said that 21,85,271 commuters took the metro services today, an increase of around 4.13 per cent from the ridership yesterday, when the scheme was not in force.

The odd-even scheme brought by the AAP government as part of a pilot plan to cut air pollution in the city was rolled out on January 1. The rules apply only from Monday to Saturday. January 10, being a Sunday, did not fall under the ambit of the new norm.
Meanwhile, the city's air quality fell as the day progressed with a rise in the volume of particulate matters PM 2.5 and PM 10.

Delhi Pollution Control Committee's (DPCC) Anand Vihar, R K Puram, Mandir Marg and Punjabi Bagh stations had PM 2.5 in and around the safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m3) in the morning hours.

However, PM 2.5 rose to 229 ug/m3 in Anand Vihar by 8 PM while PM 10 was recorded as 997. The corresponding figures at R K Puram were 307 and 817.
Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) Punjabi Bagh, R K Puram stations recorded 'very poor' quality air, with PM 10 being the major pollutant.
Air quality had improved considerably over the weekend, mainly due to strong winds and sunny conditions, with level of particulate matter settling 50 per cent less than the average readings since the enforcement of the odd-even car rationing measures, the Delhi government had said.
The safe limits of PM 2.5 and PM 10, a product of vehicular emissions and dust among others, are 60 and 100 each. Anything beyond that is harmful as the particles get embedded deep into the lungs and, subsequently, enter the bloodstream.