NEW DELHI: In a bid to control the deteriorating air quality in the national capital, Delhi Government's Odd-Even scheme will come into effect from today morning and will continue till November 15.
The scheme will be applicable from 8 am to 8 pm. It will not be effective on Sunday, November 10.
The odd-even scheme is a traffic rationing measure by Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Government under which private vehicles with registration numbers ending with an odd digit (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) will be allowed on roads on odd dates and those with an even digit (0, 2, 4, 6, 8) on even dates. The rules will also apply to the vehicles with registration numbers of other states.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on October 17 said that the odd-even vehicle rationing scheme will only be implemented on "non-transport four-wheeled vehicles", exempting two-wheelers and emergency vehicles.
The violation of the rules in the restricted hours will attract a fine of Rs 4000.
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President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Governors, Chief Justice of India, Speaker of Lok Sabha, vehicles of Union Ministers, Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Leaders of Opposition, Vehicles of Chief Ministers of States and UTs, will be exempted from odd-even scheme. Delhi Chief Minister's vehicle will not be exempted.
Persons with disabilities, vehicles carrying school students and electric vehicles will be exempted from the rationing scheme. However, this time private CNG vehicles will come under its ambit.
Kejriwal had said that only those women drivers who will steer the vehicle alone or with other women on-board or with a child less than 12 years of age will be exempted.
A flagship scheme of the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi Government, aimed at combatting pollution, the Odd-Even was first implemented in 2015. For the last few years, the national capital has been grappling with smog every winter, raising health concerns.
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"All scientists and experts are saying that pollution from stubble burning is coming to Delhi, due to which there is pollution everywhere. We don't want to do any blame game, there should be no politics at this stage. All governments should come together and discuss the issue," Kejriwal said on Sunday in a video message.
He also urged all to follow the Odd-Even scheme which will be starting from Monday.
To make it convenient, the Delhi Government has changed the timings for government offices during the Odd-Even scheme from November 4-15. According to an official order, 21 government departments will function from 9:30 am to 6 pm, while the other 21 departments will function from 10:30 am to 7 pm.
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The Signature Bridge, which connects Wazirabad to East Delhi, will remain closed during the implementation of the Odd-Even scheme in the national capital.
A day before the implementation of the scheme, air pollution levels in the national capital escalated to hazardous and visibility dropped significantly as a thick blanket of smog engulfed several parts of the city despite mild showers on Sunday.
Notably, for the first time in this season, the Air Quality Index (AQI) docked as high as 625 at 10 am yesterday. An AQI between 0-50 is considered "good", 51-100 "satisfactory", 101-200 "moderate", 201-300 "poor", 301-400 "very poor", and 401-500 "severe". Above 500 is "severe-plus emergency" category.