Free Run For Two-Wheelers A Big Spoiler

Experts say zero curbs on city’s 70 lakh motorcycles & scooters, blamed for 33% of vehicular pollution, can foil clean-air mission

- Gulam Jeelani in New Delhi

The Delhi government is set to implement its third edition of Odd-Even scheme during November 4-15 — with some big changes this time.

Private CNG vehicles will not be exempt, the fine for each violation has doubled to Rs 4,000 and cars entering the city too will adhere to road space rationing. Also, women drivers will not be exempt if there are male passengers in their vehicles.

But what may puncture this clean-air mission is the continued exemption to Delhi’s all 70 lakh two-wheelers that contribute to about 33% of the total vehicular pollution, experts have told MAIL TODAY.

Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “An IIT Kanpur study has shown that two-wheelers contribute 33% of the total pollution load that comes from vehicles. If you keep such a sizeable chunk out of the ambit, you weaken the programme.”

“Odd-Even is an emergency action. You need to minimise exemptions to make the programme effective,” she added. CSE works closely with the Supreme Court-mandated Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority or EPCA.

The scheme has also received criticism from certain sections for not exempting CNG-run private cars and letting motorcycles and scooters have a free run.

“We purchased the CNG car keeping the environment in mind. Where is public transport? The Chief Minister should travel in peak hours in public transport to get a first-hand experience,” said Amit Sinha, a 38-year-old businessman who lives in Sarita Vihar and has his office in Daryaganj.

Overall, Delhi has 11 million vehicles. This includes only 35 lakh cars of which 3.8 lakh are private CNG ones. Also, thousands of two-wheelers enter the city on a given day from other states.

WHY EXEMPTION