Delhi pollution: Check latest updates, rules and more

The third edition of Odd-Even road space rationing scheme came into force in the national capital on Monday amid persistent high levels of pollution, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claiming that the exercise on the first day was "successful” as 15 lakh cars were off the roads.
As many as 259 violaters were fined Rs 4,000 including BJP leader Vijay Goel who, in a “symbolic protest”, drove his odd number SUV from his residence at Ashoka Road to Janpath. His party has termed the scheme as an "election stunt" by the AAP government which was causing harassment to the people.

Two thousand civil defence volunteers, 465 teams of the Delhi traffic police, revenue and transport departments were deployed on Monday. Six thousand buses, including 650 private buses were also pressed into service to deal with the additional number of commuters.

A Delhi government official said that DTC buses ferried over eight lakh passengers while cluster buses carried four lakh people in the morning shift.

There was relatively less traffic on roads and many said that they reached their destination early than usual. Most people with odd number vehicles used different modes to travel. Some carpooled, while others travelled in cabs, autos and public transport.

Leading the way, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shared a car with his Cabinet colleagues Gopal Rai and Satyendar Jain to reach the Delhi Secretariat. Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot travelled in his OSD's car, while Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia cycled to work.

233 challans were issued on the first day of the Odd-Even scheme rolled out by the Delhi government in a bid to reduce air pollution, Delhi Traffic Police said on Monday.

Delhi's road rationing plan, called as Odd-Even scheme, started yesterday, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal calling it successful. In the past 24 hours air quality has improved slightly from 'severe' to 'very poor' category in Delhi-NCR.

Under the anti pollution measure, which will be implemented from 8 am to 8 pm till November 15, non-transport four-wheeled vehicles with registration numbers ending with an odd digit (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) will not be allowed on the roads on November 4, 6, 8, 12 and 14. Similarly, vehicles with registration numbers ending with an even digit (0, 2, 4, 6, 8) will not be allowed on the roads on November 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15.

Two-wheelers and electric vehicles have been exempted from the restrictions, but not CNG-driven vehicles. Women-only vehicles with children aged up to 12 years and vehicles occupied by physically-disabled persons will also be exempted. Twenty-nine categories of vehicles, including those of President, prime minister, emergency and enforcement vehicles, have been exempted.

However, the vehicles of the Delhi chief minister and ministers will not be exempted. Violations of the odd-even rule will invite a fine of Rs 4,000. Over 600 teams of Delhi Traffic Police and the transport and revenue departments have been deployed for a strict implementation of the scheme across the city.

Live Updates

259 challans were issued on the first day of the Odd-Even scheme rolled out by the Delhi government in a bid to reduce air pollution, Delhi Traffic Police said.

• The Supreme Court has summoned Chief Secretaries of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to appear before it, on stubble burning and pollution issue.

• According to ANI, the apex court has ordered Delhi Government to produce by Friday, data or records to prove that OddEven scheme has reduced pollution in Delhi.

• Supreme Court has asked Delhi govt to justify Odd-Even scheme. "What is the logic behind odd-even scheme? Banning diesel vehicles we can understand, but what is the point of odd-even scheme," Justice Arun Mishra asked Delhi Government during a hearing.

• Senior BJP leader Vijay Goel on Monday violated the odd-even rationing scheme by driving an SUV with an odd last digit in its registration number and termed the initiative "an election stunt" by the Kejriwal government. BJP vice president Shyam Jaju and other party leaders also accompanied Goel in the SUV which he drove from his residence on Ashoka Road, before being stopped near Janpath by traffic police personnel who challaned him. Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot later met Goel with a bouquet of flower, urging him not to violate the rule as it was aimed at bringing down pollution.

• "All of Delhi wants odd even. The entire city's people are saying that at least one Chief Minister is doing something to battle this pollution crisis. 15 lakh cars are off the roads, it is going to reduce pollution levels, it is not drama as BJP says," Arvind Kejriwal was quoted as saying by ANI.

• Kejriwal & co opts for car pooling

• Posters criticising odd-even scheme were also seen near ITO crossing, today morning, ANI has reported. The Hindi poster which had no details of who commissioned them, read, "We do not need the drama of 'Odd-Even', we need a clean atmosphere. It has become difficult to breathe in Delhi."

• Within a few hours of the scheme coming into the force, the traffic police also fined a driver for using an odd-numbered vehicle, on the even day near India Gate. The violator was issued a fine of Rs 4000; however he claimed to have no information of the scheme, according to ANI.

"Namaste Delhi, odd-even is starting from today to reduce pollution. Please do follow it for yourself, your family, kids and your breath. Share cars. It will strengthen friendship, form relations, save petrol and pollution," Kejriwal said in an early morning tweet in Hindi.