Yes, they are correct in taking this step. We must not forget that this is a 15-20 days experiment and these kinda experiments are needed to get the first hand knowledge of pros and cons of such schemes for long terms. I don't know if it will fail or be a hit. If it fails, then let this failure be a learning and we all know Failures are the pillar of Success and if it succeeds then let it be the milestone of a Government-Public Partnership for the welfare of the City.
The very first thing everyone who's opposing it need to understand that Pollution is the one of the biggest problems of Delhi which needs drastic measures. I know it is going to cause you a lot of discomfort but what are you gonna do with such comfort if your city is no more livable.
I guess I don't have to explain the problems and calamities that the rising level of pollution will bring.
Now coming to odd-even number issue. Guys, the rules is not written in stone. It will evolve and will get amendments. Also Arvind Kejriwalhave already clarified that they might revoke the law if the odd-even system causes chaos and too much trouble for the Delhites. I will now try to answer some of the concerns raised by fellow Quorans.
■ Cars cause only 8% of the pollution. So why not take other measures and take care of remaining 92%?
First I have a doubt with the number. Its estimated to contribute 17% to the pollution which is huge. The below shared image if of Beijing where this odd-even formula helped the people to watch Blue Sky after a long time. BTW, this rule helped reduce 3% pollution and guess how much 17% can do.
■ What am I going to do in case of emergency?
The present draft already says Emergencies will be exempted from this law.
■ I am a disabled citizen. I can't ride public transport and I have a specially designed car. I can't afford two cars for odd-even. How am I going to get through this?
The present draft already says this formula won't apply for such cases though you may need to take a special permit for it which will be some kind of sticker and one license like card so that you can get an easy pass.
■ My livelihood depends on vehicles, e.g. Delivery Boys, Autowalla etc What should I do? I can't afford my life plying on alternate days.
Worry not. A meeting has already been scheduled with Revenue and one other department (I forgot the name). They will get a fix for it.
And from what I have heard, Odd-even ratio will not be implemented on the public servicesbuses or trucks and others vehicles. DTC buses, cluster, cabs, mini-trucks, shuttle services and other vehicles with yellow number plates will not come under the purview of new policy and are free to use Delhi roads.
Also Electric vehicles might get a boost, like electricity bikes will be subsidized (by both Centre and State) or cheaply available for companies and people.
■ The public transport system is pathetic and heavily crowded. Its going to be difficult.
Sorry to say but you have to get out of your comfort zone so that you can ensure a safer life for yourself, for your coming generations. It's on you to choose between comfort and Health.
Also there will be many players in bus shuttle services like OLA, Shuttl etc who will commence their services in Delhi asap after this rule. They will get a huge revenue and people with issues travelling in crowded buses will get relief.
■ Don't you think public transport needs to be better before applying this rule on mass-scale? What is the Government doing it to make it better for convenience?
Yes off-course. There's a lot of space for improvement and measures are being taken. It's going slow but steady.
- The DTC buses are going to be almost doubled. (Not instantly or over night)
- Frequencies of metro trains are going to be increased.
- 2 additional coaches will be added to metro trains.
- They have proposed an elevated bus corridor through out the city. It will ease the traffic and can make the public transportation highly efficient and comfortable.
■ What is Government doing other than imposing such weird law to help ease the pollution trouble?
They are doing whatever they can. I am putting down a few examples:
A huge proportion of Delhi's Pollution comes from dust. So to curb the issue of Dust, AAP Government is going to do the following:
- They will float emergency tenders to get mass vacuum cleaning vehicles to suck the dust through the roads at regular intervals.
- They will soon start planting grass and trees on both sides of the road, dividers, crossings making sure there's less dust to flow.
- Another huge contributor to the pollution are the 2 Thermal Plants and a couple of Waste Incineration factories which doesn't add much power but contributes a hell lot of pollutants. Steps are being taken to close them all.
- There are brick kilns around the city which doesn't fall under Delhi jurisdiction but they affect the air in and around Delhi. AAP Government is in talks with the related neighbour states and is slowing moving towards getting those kilns closed for good.
- One of the huge contributor to pollution is open waste burning, mostly by homeless people to cope up the Delhi Cold. So, the Government have arranged night shelters for around 19,000 people. They will be taken to warm place everyday and hence a lot of open incineration can be avoided. They have also launched mobile apps to crowdsource information on waste burning.
- PUC were easily available and mostly faked. Now all the Smoke Testing centers have been linked to Central Servers. PUC can be printed only if the vehicles pass the test and everything is going to be stored in the Govt Servers in real time. Also the vehicles coming from other states will have to adhere to the PUC requirements of the Delhi State.
- Euro 6 standards for vehicles are to be implemented by 2019 nationwide but Delhi will implement it from January 2017 itself, 2 years before the rest of the nation.
- Huge afforestation drives will be made. Plants which have the best air filtration properties will be planted. Dense forestation is to be implemented. Idea is to make Delhi more greener and cleaner.
- The most important thing that I heard is that soon they will rope in other nearby states for collective efforts to curb pollution which will be a boon for Delhi and the nearby states too.
■ How is Government going to implement the system and have a check? Won't there be chaos and trouble?
Yes, I believe that there will chaos and trouble but its about priorities, right. Also Government, Delhi Police, Justice Department (Law) and even Opposition (BJP and Congress) have welcomed the step. So implementation won' be difficult. Also lot of Delhites have also welcomed the step and likewise, lot didn't.
[Although I don't trust News Surveys but still sharing. ABP survey says 65% Delhites are ready to sacrifice their comfort for odd-even scheme - Details -> Traffic jams major cause for Delhi pollution; 65% ready to sacrifice comfort: ABP News-Nielsen Survey]
There are something which you need to implement to know about the outcomes. And this law is important, not only to reduce the pollution but also to reduce the traffic. Lesser the cars on the street better will be the transportation and travel experience.
Also law is about people's participation. You don't set checkpoints to see if people are going to murder or break some law. You keep faith in the citizens that will do what's best for themselves. Obviously there will be some who will try to get a way out. Then there's justice which will keep those things in check.
And Govt have already said that this system will be a trial basis. Is the outcome is positive then they will keep it else they will discard it. Simple as that. But you need to be a little co-operative for he sake of yourself, your family and the city.
■ This rule is of no use to the rich, they will buy a 2nd car and will use it. But the poor will suffer.
- Some doubts here, how can you be so sure that if a Rich buys a 2nd car then he will get Odd number plate, supposedly he had a even number plate on his previous car.
- Isn't it true that number of people who can afford multiple cars is relatively less than the number of people who can afford 1 or no car.
- Isn't it true that the poor and the medium class is deemed to suffer from Air Pollution more than the Rich, considering they can afford Air Purifiers in Home, Office, Club, everywhere .....
So why think of what rich will do and better concentrate on what we can do. If we do it well, others will follow.
I am sure all Rich people are not environment killers. All of them don't like electronically purified air but vouch for clean natural air.
■ We are going to sacrifice. But what about the ministers, bureaucrats, police officers etc
I can't comment about them all but the Delhi Ministers and MLA's have decided to share rides. Chief Justice of India have also welcomed the odd-even scheme and he too will carpool.
Police officers and Judges don't even come under this purview considering their requirement for commitments at places.
The very first thing everyone who's opposing it need to understand that Pollution is the one of the biggest problems of Delhi which needs drastic measures. I know it is going to cause you a lot of discomfort but what are you gonna do with such comfort if your city is no more livable.
I guess I don't have to explain the problems and calamities that the rising level of pollution will bring.
Now coming to odd-even number issue. Guys, the rules is not written in stone. It will evolve and will get amendments. Also Arvind Kejriwalhave already clarified that they might revoke the law if the odd-even system causes chaos and too much trouble for the Delhites. I will now try to answer some of the concerns raised by fellow Quorans.
■ Cars cause only 8% of the pollution. So why not take other measures and take care of remaining 92%?
First I have a doubt with the number. Its estimated to contribute 17% to the pollution which is huge. The below shared image if of Beijing where this odd-even formula helped the people to watch Blue Sky after a long time. BTW, this rule helped reduce 3% pollution and guess how much 17% can do.
■ What am I going to do in case of emergency?
The present draft already says Emergencies will be exempted from this law.
■ I am a disabled citizen. I can't ride public transport and I have a specially designed car. I can't afford two cars for odd-even. How am I going to get through this?
The present draft already says this formula won't apply for such cases though you may need to take a special permit for it which will be some kind of sticker and one license like card so that you can get an easy pass.
■ My livelihood depends on vehicles, e.g. Delivery Boys, Autowalla etc What should I do? I can't afford my life plying on alternate days.
Worry not. A meeting has already been scheduled with Revenue and one other department (I forgot the name). They will get a fix for it.
And from what I have heard, Odd-even ratio will not be implemented on the public servicesbuses or trucks and others vehicles. DTC buses, cluster, cabs, mini-trucks, shuttle services and other vehicles with yellow number plates will not come under the purview of new policy and are free to use Delhi roads.
Also Electric vehicles might get a boost, like electricity bikes will be subsidized (by both Centre and State) or cheaply available for companies and people.
■ The public transport system is pathetic and heavily crowded. Its going to be difficult.
Sorry to say but you have to get out of your comfort zone so that you can ensure a safer life for yourself, for your coming generations. It's on you to choose between comfort and Health.
Also there will be many players in bus shuttle services like OLA, Shuttl etc who will commence their services in Delhi asap after this rule. They will get a huge revenue and people with issues travelling in crowded buses will get relief.
■ Don't you think public transport needs to be better before applying this rule on mass-scale? What is the Government doing it to make it better for convenience?
Yes off-course. There's a lot of space for improvement and measures are being taken. It's going slow but steady.
- The DTC buses are going to be almost doubled. (Not instantly or over night)
- Frequencies of metro trains are going to be increased.
- 2 additional coaches will be added to metro trains.
- They have proposed an elevated bus corridor through out the city. It will ease the traffic and can make the public transportation highly efficient and comfortable.
■ What is Government doing other than imposing such weird law to help ease the pollution trouble?
They are doing whatever they can. I am putting down a few examples:
A huge proportion of Delhi's Pollution comes from dust. So to curb the issue of Dust, AAP Government is going to do the following:
- They will float emergency tenders to get mass vacuum cleaning vehicles to suck the dust through the roads at regular intervals.
- They will soon start planting grass and trees on both sides of the road, dividers, crossings making sure there's less dust to flow.
- Another huge contributor to the pollution are the 2 Thermal Plants and a couple of Waste Incineration factories which doesn't add much power but contributes a hell lot of pollutants. Steps are being taken to close them all.
- There are brick kilns around the city which doesn't fall under Delhi jurisdiction but they affect the air in and around Delhi. AAP Government is in talks with the related neighbour states and is slowing moving towards getting those kilns closed for good.
- One of the huge contributor to pollution is open waste burning, mostly by homeless people to cope up the Delhi Cold. So, the Government have arranged night shelters for around 19,000 people. They will be taken to warm place everyday and hence a lot of open incineration can be avoided. They have also launched mobile apps to crowdsource information on waste burning.
- PUC were easily available and mostly faked. Now all the Smoke Testing centers have been linked to Central Servers. PUC can be printed only if the vehicles pass the test and everything is going to be stored in the Govt Servers in real time. Also the vehicles coming from other states will have to adhere to the PUC requirements of the Delhi State.
- Euro 6 standards for vehicles are to be implemented by 2019 nationwide but Delhi will implement it from January 2017 itself, 2 years before the rest of the nation.
- Huge afforestation drives will be made. Plants which have the best air filtration properties will be planted. Dense forestation is to be implemented. Idea is to make Delhi more greener and cleaner.
- The most important thing that I heard is that soon they will rope in other nearby states for collective efforts to curb pollution which will be a boon for Delhi and the nearby states too.
■ How is Government going to implement the system and have a check? Won't there be chaos and trouble?
Yes, I believe that there will chaos and trouble but its about priorities, right. Also Government, Delhi Police, Justice Department (Law) and even Opposition (BJP and Congress) have welcomed the step. So implementation won' be difficult. Also lot of Delhites have also welcomed the step and likewise, lot didn't.
[Although I don't trust News Surveys but still sharing. ABP survey says 65% Delhites are ready to sacrifice their comfort for odd-even scheme - Details -> Traffic jams major cause for Delhi pollution; 65% ready to sacrifice comfort: ABP News-Nielsen Survey]
There are something which you need to implement to know about the outcomes. And this law is important, not only to reduce the pollution but also to reduce the traffic. Lesser the cars on the street better will be the transportation and travel experience.
Also law is about people's participation. You don't set checkpoints to see if people are going to murder or break some law. You keep faith in the citizens that will do what's best for themselves. Obviously there will be some who will try to get a way out. Then there's justice which will keep those things in check.
And Govt have already said that this system will be a trial basis. Is the outcome is positive then they will keep it else they will discard it. Simple as that. But you need to be a little co-operative for he sake of yourself, your family and the city.
■ This rule is of no use to the rich, they will buy a 2nd car and will use it. But the poor will suffer.
- Some doubts here, how can you be so sure that if a Rich buys a 2nd car then he will get Odd number plate, supposedly he had a even number plate on his previous car.
- Isn't it true that number of people who can afford multiple cars is relatively less than the number of people who can afford 1 or no car.
- Isn't it true that the poor and the medium class is deemed to suffer from Air Pollution more than the Rich, considering they can afford Air Purifiers in Home, Office, Club, everywhere .....
So why think of what rich will do and better concentrate on what we can do. If we do it well, others will follow.
I am sure all Rich people are not environment killers. All of them don't like electronically purified air but vouch for clean natural air.
■ We are going to sacrifice. But what about the ministers, bureaucrats, police officers etc
I can't comment about them all but the Delhi Ministers and MLA's have decided to share rides. Chief Justice of India have also welcomed the odd-even scheme and he too will carpool.
Police officers and Judges don't even come under this purview considering their requirement for commitments at places.
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