To curb the alarming levels of pollution in the national capital, the Government of Delhi implemented the odd-even scheme for 15 Days. During this period, the government spent nearly 14 crores to hire more buses to ensure people had enough public transport services available to them during the implementation of the scheme. The Government of Delhi also spent nearly 5 crores on advertising the scheme, so that people were made aware of it. If such a huge amount was spent for implementing the scheme for a duration of only 15 days, then imagine the cost of implementing the scheme for a whole year.
During the implementation of this scheme, there were also a number of exemptions like, allowing two wheelers, exempting women drivers, allowing CNG vehicles and also government vehicles. Moreover, schools were closed during this period which meant a large reduction in traffic. Many reports also state that there was no substantial change in air quality after the completion of the scheme. Even though the government of Delhi was able to successfully reduce the number of vehicles on the roads of Delhi, there were also a lot of inconveniences caused to some people during that time. Moreover, if the odd-even scheme is implemented on a full scale, there will also be a tremendous amount of burden on the public transport system, which is difficult to handle during peak hours.
The infrastructure of the road transport system should be improved based on future demand, rather than trying to solve it whenever the problems become serious. Moreover, the current metro is running at its full capacity and soon there will be a shortage in the infrastructure of the metro to meet growing commuters every year. The Government should increase the metro frequency and also try to cover as much area as possible. This will help refrain the working class from using their vehicles to go to work, allowing them to use the metro without facing any inconveniences.
I feel that the odd-even scheme is a temporary initiative and is not an efficient solution for the pollution problems in Delhi. Rather than trying to use temporary solutions to tackle the pollution, the Government should try to concentrate more on the long term and permanent solutions which are very effective and efficient in controlling pollution. The government should also keep in mind the growing population and also the future needs of the Delhiites.
You can read a counter opinion to this article here.
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