The Delhi Government’s odd-even car rationing policy is a step in the right direction. But to significantly reduce air pollution, it needs to do more, such as complete the metro, build more flyovers, and introduce flexible office timings
Environment protection is an issue which finds takers all around the world. Everyone has an opinion about it. But when the same results in an inconvenience, everyone forgets the need to conserve and wants their priorities to be addressed first.
Expectedly, when the Delhi Government announced the odd-even car rationing scheme, it was appreciated by some people while others complained about the huge burden such a policy will lay on the public transport system. Others said that the scheme was a publicity gimmick.
The reality is that the policy came after the apex court’s ban on the registration of diesel vehicles in Delhi till March 31. The Government was forced to wake from its slumber and do what it should have done much before. The court has also ordered trucks to stay out of Delhi unless they have business in the city. Recently, an environment tax was imposed on trucks entering Delhi.
Along with Karachi and Beijing, Delhi is one of the most polluted cities in the world. According to a report by the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment, everyday a thousands new cars are added to Delhi roads.
Delhi has failed to clean its environment. The courts have passed many judgements to curb pollution in Delhi but it the Government has not been able to take steps to protect the environment. The odd-even scheme is a great effort by the Government to make up for past failures and curb pollution.
But rather than a well-thought effort, the decision seems like one taken in haste, which, when applied arbitrarily, will multiply the woes of the common man.
When we look at the steps taken by the Delhi Government in the past to curb pollution, we can’t ignore the introduction of Delhi Metro. The economic rate of return for this project is one of the highest in the world, due to the large number of people it impacts. The metro has not only reduced traffic but also reduced health risks for Delhi residents. Approximately 24 lakh passengers used Delhi Metro every day in 2015. The metro is in its third phase of construction, and a further increase in the frequency of metro trains will reduce the traffic burden on the roads.
Despite the large number of commuters that the metro ferries every day, the traffic situation in Delhi has worsened. The road alleviation scheme, which can ensure smooth traffic, has not been implemented with the same zeal with which the metro was constructed. Proposed double lanes have been reduced to single lane fly-overs and have not reduced traffic snarls. Rather, they have slowed traffic movement. Traffic snarls, which cause maximum pollution, can be resolved only with the help of more signal-free alleviated roads.
Maximum traffic congestion happens during office hours, which increases vehicular emissions. These vehicles would have emitted far lesser amount of smoke had they travelled on less congested roads. This problem can be addressed if organisations can make their schedules flexible. For example, Firms X, Y and Z have a total of 15,000 employees, of which 6,500 use cars to commute to work. All firms have the same schedule, so all their employee vehicles come on the road at the same time, creating a traffic snarl. This can be avoided if the firms coordinate with each other and change their timings, so that only 1/3rd of the total vehicles will be on road at a given time.
As of now, the Government is solving one problem with another problem — not a solution. Delhi has been mulling the idea of mono-rail for ages; its car-free days have had little impact; and the dedicated bus corridor project was among the biggest failures of the decade. Each of these projects could have been successful with better execution. The Government must work on its execution mechanism to the ensure success of its efforts rather than being a hapless spectator.
(The writer is a transport and traffic consultant)