The National Green Tribunal questions the Delhi govt's odd-even formula for vehicles to check pollution in the national capital, says it may not achieve the desired purpose. NGT says that the odd-even formula for vehicles may make people to buy two cars.

The odd and even number operation of private vehicles for pollution control will come into effect on January 1, and will be implemented date-wise. Private cars with odd vehicle number plates will ply on odd dates and those with even number plates will ply on even dates.

On January 1, cars with numbers ending with 1,3,5, 7 and 9 will operate. Similarly on January 2, cars with numbers ending with 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 will be allowed to ply. There was a proposal to implement this day-wise but we received feedback saying people might find it difficult to remember the days on which odd and even numbers will be allowed to operate, Transport Minister Gopal Rai has said.

While the odd and even policy was among a slew of radical pollution control measures announced last week, the government on Tuesday clarified some of the aspects of implementation after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal held a review meeting. The meeting was attended by ministers, senior Delhi government officials, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and Special Commissioner (Traffic) Muktesh Chander.

Rai said that in the first phase from January 1 to January 15, 2016, operation of odd and even number vehicles will be in effect from 8 am to 8 pm. Private vehicles with both odd and even numbers will be allowed to ply before 8 am and after 8 pm. Sundays will be exempted from this campaign. Everyone will be allowed to ply, said Rai.