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ODD EVEN FORMULA - Delhi Air Needs More Effort

In May 2014 World Health Organisation declared Delhi as the most polluted city in the world and in the last few months, since the winter has started to set in Delhi the debate about the ever reducing quality of air in the capital is gaining a voice. The air in Delhi has been declared poisonous by the different experts. The other day a leading daily paper reported that the case of lung ailments have increased in Delhi.

With all these statistics and facts in the face, it was high time that the government of Delhi lead by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), decided to introduce Road Rationing Scheme or Odd-Even Rule. As per this rule from January 1, 2015 to January 15, 2015 vehicles with Odd registration numbers can come on the road on odd dates and Even registration numbered vehicles would be allowed on Delhi roads on even dates. As per the government this would reduce the number of vehicles on the roads and hence reduce air pollution. 

I would however, like to have a look at the bigger picture as I do not fully agree that this can lead to any permanent solution to the issue of pollution in Delhi.

The biggest contributors to the Air Pollution in Delhi are Industry and Road dust. Traffic in Delhi is also a major concern but the government cannot put the blame entirely on the car owners. The fault lies with the subsequent governments in Delhi who failed to look at the future.

As far as the pollution created by vehicles is concerned the biggest reason is the lack to infrastructure. Delhi being the capital of the country and a major metro with a super potential for growth in terms of jobs and industry required a planned increase in the infrastructure in terms of Roads, Flyovers, Metro Rail, Local Trains and Buses. But the subsequent governments failed to look towards the future and the potential for this growth in the middle class aspiration for a better life and hence undertook infrastructure building work only when the lack of it stared them in the eye. 

The current network of roads and flyovers are not enough to sustain the number of vehicles plying in the city. This leads to huge traffic jams during rush hours and now every hours of the day due to delayed construction works. And these traffic jams mean that the vehicles are on the road with engines on for a longer duration of time and hence causing more pollution.  The only way to counter the vehicular pollution is to increase the road network so that the vehicles are on the road for less time. 

Apart from that it is also important to increase as well as improve the standard of public transport. Delhi Metro Rail is a clean and fast mode of public transport however the frequency needs to be increased because during the office hours there is just no space in it to stand hence people prefer the comfort of their cars. The less we talk about the public buses operated by government owned DTC, the better. Even after inducting new busses their condition remain phethetic. The maintainence and clenliness is always a concern. Can you imagine an executive in any of the big companies or a businessman who can afford a car traveling in these buses. He/she would rather book a cab or an Auto to go to his/office and that would not help the traffic problem.

In order to encourage the public to use public transport, government should realize that the Delhi boasts of a huge population of middle class people who aspire to grow economically and can afford cars. And the government can increase the frequency of quality public transportation system it can attract that chunk of middle class population. 

The best way to do that is to invite the private players and government should act as regulator.

In the end I would like to state that if the governments of Delhi and India are serious about resolving the problem of vehicular pollution, they have to start keeping a futuristic vision of infrastructure development and will have to provide quality public transportation system with increased frequency as an alternate to the public before coming up with ideas which just cause more pain to the hard working middle class. And that is Just A Thought..


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