Pollution-Reducing Scheme Leads to Thousands of Commuters Being Fined

An incentive to try to improve the alarming levels of air quality in the Indian capital of New Delhi has led to thousands of commuters being fined. The scheme, which came into effect on January 1^st, effectively halves the number of cars on the road by implementing an odd-even license plate system.

Those who drive a car with a number plate ending in an even number are allowed to take to the streets on even-numbered days of the month, and vice versa for those with odd-numbered plates. The current scheme is a 15-day trial to see how effectively the system works – though as of January 7^th, almost 2,000 commuters had been fined as a result of flouting the new rules.

How the Scheme Works

The ban applies to all traffic on New Delhi roads on every day of the week between 8am and 8pm, except for Sundays. There also exemptions for female drivers (as it is understood many women do not feel comfortable taking public transport in the capital as a result of the city’s abysmal sexism and sexual abuse figures), as well as taxis, auto-rickshaws and motorcyclists.

Those found in violation of the ban will receive a 2,000 Rupee fine, which works out to roughly £20. Some sources are reporting that it is the fine itself – rather than the promise of cleaner air – which acts as the biggest catalyst in enforcing the law. Whether or not that it is the case, at least affirmative action is being taken by both the government and the residents of the city.

In order to compensate for the surplus demand on public transport that such a policy inevitably entails, the government have laid on 3,000 extra buses on the city’s streets and tasked the metro system with conducting an additional 70 circuits daily. The authorities have reported that the metro is experiencing similar periods of high demand as in the December rush, but that the system is capable of coping.

The trial is scheduled to end on the 15^th January, at which point it will be decided whether or not it was successful and whether to continue it in the future.

Has it Worked?

As an attempt to improve air quality and reduce transport-related pollution, the odd-even scheme must be seen as a step in the right direction, at the very least. There is no denying that it has taken around one million private cars off the streets, which can only be a good thing. However, whether it will make significant inroads into Delhi’s terrible pollution problems remains to be seen.

 January is typically Delhi’s worst month for pollution, when the climate and heavy industry conspire to make its streets smoggier than ever. Indeed, the National Quality Air Index (NAQI), reports that levels of air pollution have remained “severe” throughout the 15-day trial, except when they dropped briefly over the weekend into “very poor” due to heavy rainfall.

Experts still remain divided upon the efficacy of the scheme and claim it will only become clear whether or not it has been a triumph after a sustained period of weather and application. What is clear is that the odd-even system alone will not be enough to overcome Delhi’s and India’s growing reputation as the most polluted country in the world – but at least it represents the first steps in addressing the problem.