The official schedule brought forward by the Lieutenant Governor of the National Capital Territory of Delhi has presented a list of Vehicles and situations that are exempted from the Odd-Even formula. In the wake of fighting the alarming pollution of the Capital city, the Government devised a rule that allows vehicles with odd number plates to ply only on odd calendar dates and the even numbered on even dates only. The Odd-Even Formula will be imposed from 1st January 2016 to 16th January 2016. Plans for extending the duration with a Phase II of the same formula are in talks.
Vehicles of the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, State Governors and Union Ministers will remain unaffected by the rule. Also vehicles of various Indian Government bodies and Ministries like the Rajya sabha, Lok sabha, Supreme Court &High Court, Police and Transport department too are exempted from the list.
In addition to the ‘Sarkari’ gaadis, vehicles occupied by SPG(Special Protection Group) protectees, Pilots/escorts, vehicles with Diplomatic number plates and Emergency vehicles such as Ambulances and Fire Brigades are given a relief. Vehicles driven/occupied by handicapped persons and women(only) get a leeway as well. As special instructions the draft states that vehicles driving on CNG should be tagged with a sticker (issued by M/s Indraprastha Gas Ltd. which reads ‘CNG VEHICLE’.
On implementation of the official rule, vehicles owners who willingly or unwillingly violate the same will be accounted for a fine of INR 2,000 under Motor Vehicles Act 1988. Earlier, the Supreme Court of India banned the registrations and sale of new diesel passenger vehicles over 2000cc in the Capital city until 31st March 2016. As for latest updates, the Chief Minister of Delhi has approached the Prime Minister in order to seek his cooperation on the Odd-Even Formula initiative to pull down the capital’s pollution levels. The CM has also stated that he, along with his colleagues, would carpool to office during the period of implementation of the rule and has requested the PM to recommend the Union ministers and secretaries to do the same.
image source: LiveMint