Delhi Government Postpones Odd-Even Car Rationing Scheme Pending Supreme Court Review

The Delhi government has postponed the rollout of the odd-even car rationing scheme until the Supreme Court reviews its efficacy in combatting air pollution and issues an official directive. This announcement was made by Gopal Rai, Delhi's Environment Minister, during a press conference in the nation's capital. Rai further revealed that the Delhi government intends to present the results of two significant studies conducted by the Energy Policy Institute of the University of Chicago and the Delhi Technical University. These studies aim to assess the effectiveness of the odd-even plan.

Rai emphasized that the decision to implement the odd-even scheme will be contingent on the Supreme Court's evaluation and the subsequent issuance of orders. The matter is set to be discussed in a hearing scheduled for Friday. The government's choice to defer the plan came following the Supreme Court's expressed doubt regarding its ability to effectively mitigate air pollution, labeling it as merely symbolic.

It's worth noting that the Delhi government had earlier announced the introduction of the odd-even scheme from November 13 to 20. Under this scheme, cars are allowed to operate on alternating days based on their odd or even registration numbers.

As for the insights from studies on the odd-even scheme, research conducted by the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute and the Evidence for Policy Design reveals that in 2016, Delhi experienced a reduction of 14-16 percent in PM2.5 levels during January, while the scheme was in effect. However, when the scheme was reintroduced in April of the same year, no noticeable decrease in pollution levels was observed.

It is worth noting that Delhi currently grapples with severe air pollution, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 456 recorded in the Okhala Phase-two area at the time of this report.