Odd-even phase 2 should be based on pollution data, say Delhi residents

New Delhi: The AAP government may be going ahead with the implementation of the second phase of odd-even car-rationing scheme based on favorable opinion poll but a section of city residents feel the re-introduction of the plan should be based instead on "scientific survey" of pollution data.

This view figures among the public suggestions, received by the government between January 26 and February 8, on the future plan of the scheme the second phase of which is set to be rolled out from April 15 for another 15 days. This assumes importance as pollution data, released by several monitoring agencies, has widely varied on the extent of the impact of the car-rationing measure in improving air quality.

An IIT Kanpur report on the city's air quality has pointed out that during the summer, contribution of vehicles to PM 2.5 (fine, respirable particles) comes down to around 9 per cent from 26 per cent in winter. Those in favour of the scheme have also urged the city government to exempt senior citizens along with women and VIPs. Cars carrying four or more passengers should be exempted says one of the suggestions.

"If a vehicle with a woman driver and a child is allowed, no harm in allowing a male to also sit alongside as the car is on the road in any case...staggered office-timings should be there for government offices starting from 8 AM till 11 AM for offices to start," a suggestion said.

The government released a 20-point suggestions list along with the feedback data. But none of these is likely to be acted upon in the second phase, a government official said.

"The decision on the second phase should be based on a scientific survey of pollution data and not on citizen feedback," point number seven said.

Cars coming from other states should also be exempted and allowed to go to their destination in Delhi so that people coming from long distances are not affected, one of the suggestions said.

Instead of odd and even dates, exemptions should be based on the last digit of the vehicle registration number wherein those ending in 1 should not be allowed on 1st, 11th and 21st of every month etc which will "reduce hardship to 1/10th", another suggestion said.

"In case of families having two or more vehicles, if all cars bear odd or even numbers, option of changing the numbers should be given," according to one of suggestions.