The Delhi government has told the Supreme Court that the odd-even scheme will see 10 lakh vehicles off the Capital’s roads, considerably reducing congestion and pollution in winter.
The government said the total number of vehicles registered, excluding electric cars, in Delhi are 20,74,194 as on November 8, 2023.
An affidavit by the Delhi government quoted scientific reports that the odd-even scheme of vehicular pollution control was an “effective emergency measure which reduces 30% personal car traffic on the roads during winter months”.
However, there was usually a proportionate increase in two-wheelers, autorickshaws, buses and taxis.
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The government said app-based taxis could be restricted on the basis of fuel type/registration number during the scheme, but said a total ban on taxis registered outside of Delhi from entering the Capital was an undesirable proposition.
“It is not desirable to totally restrict the outside Delhi registered taxis during odd-even scheme,” the government said.
Daily commuters from outskirts
Delhi sees a lot of daily commuters and office-goers from the outskirts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh NCR. Metro service may not be logistically convenient for them. A large chunk of taxi traffic to and fro the airport is to the outskirts of the capital. The odd-even scheme, which is based on the last digit of the registration number of vehicles, would also reduce the volume of taxis in Delhi.
The Supreme Court had enquired about the efficacy of the colour-code scheme by which polluting diesel vehicles were identified by their orange stickers on their windscreens. The court had proposed a total ban on orange sticker vehicles for the time being.
The Delhi government said that out of 2,71,850 orange stickered vehicles, 2,28,133 BS IV and diesel vehicles were already banned. So a ban on orange category vehicles would only affect 43717 BS VI vehicles. The government said 18 lakh vehicles would continue to ply Delhi roads despite the ban on the orange stickered vehicles.
The Delhi government said it had collected ₹ 1,49,1.16 crore from 2015 to July 27, 2023 as environment compensation charges on light and heavy duty commercial vehicles entering the capital. Of this amount, ₹771.51 crore has been utilised on various traffic and infrastructural measures, including the implementation of the Meerut RRTS corridor.
