Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendra Jain on Sunday said that cars with odd number plates will be allowed to run on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while cars with even number plates will ply on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. He added that both odd and even-numbered vehicles will be allowed on the roads on Sunday "as there is no heavy traffic on the capital's roads on that day".
Jain said the rule would apply to everyone equally, regardless of political clout and all private vehicles would have to adhere to them. Only emergency vehicles such as fire tenders and ambulances will be exempt, he said. The new system begins on January 1, and the government will take the time left to solidify its enforcement plans.
Newly-appointed Chief Justice of India TS Thakur backed the state government’s plan, saying "even judges can carpool". He said that any steps taken to decrease pollution levels in the city should be welcomed. "We cannot say today whether any particular idea will work or not but we should definitely be open to new ideas if they are aimed at controlling pollution," he said.
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