Delhi’s Pollution control quest
There will be a close check on the gaseous pollutants, which includes the ozone and spikes during the summer season
With the second odd-even run scheduled from April 15-30, 2016, experts say that this time there will be a close check on the gaseous pollutants.
After the success of the initial odd-even scheme during the start of the year, the second phase of the odd-even formula in Delhi is all set to start from April 15 and will run till the 30th of the month.
According to the experts, there will be a close check on the gaseous pollutants, which includes the ozone and spikes during the summer season. India System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) will be monitoring the ultra-fine particles in the capital.
Gufran Beig, Project Director at SAFAR, said that it would put hourly updates on ozone level this time and also collect data on ultra-fine particles.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the estimates of the pollution reduction during the trial period of the odd-even formula vary. “Fortune magazine says it dropped by 13 pc, others say it lowered by 55 pc. Pollution levels dropped due to odd-even scheme.”
The government is now considering implementation of the scheme for 15 days of every month. Although nothing has been decided yet, but according to the CM, this will help in lowering pollution and provide big relief from congestion.
The government is taking other measures to check air pollution as well including introduction of luxury buses with increased frequency to improvise public transport and vacuum cleaning of the roads.
“In the next three months, we will ensure vacuum cleaning of over 1,000 kilometres of roads in the city,” the CM said.
This time along with lone women drivers, the government has also exempted vehicles carrying children in school uniform.
Together we shall make it
Contributing to make the second phase a hit, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will run its trains more frequently than it does now. The metro trains will make 3,248 trips daily during odd-even scheme with a total of 200 trains in Delhi NCR. Besides this, 15 additional feeder buses shall run and three new bus routes have also been introduced.
The Metro authorities will also deploy additional ticket operators, guards and customer facilitation agents to handle increased load on the ticketing system and to help and guide the commuters.
The corporation added that it would be pressing into service the maximum number of trains possible operationally during April 15-30 keeping only the essential maintenance reserve.
In order to spread awareness among commuters to use the Delhi Metro during the odd-even scheme, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation is also flashing awareness messages on the electronic information screen boards at station platforms.
