Delhi questions odd-even rule on Twitter, a day before scheme begins

The Delhi government’s traffic rationing plan has invited several questions on how the scheme will be implemented and who is exempted. A day before the Aam Aadmi Party government’s ‘odd-even formula’ to restrict the number of vehicles on roads begins, Hindustan Times carried out an hour-long Q&A session on Twitter to clear the air over the scheme.

The Delhi government’s traffic rationing plan has invited several questions on how the scheme will be implemented and who is exempted. A day before the Aam Aadmi Party government’s ‘odd-even formula’ to restrict the number of vehicles on roads begins, Hindustan Times carried out an hour-long Q&A session on Twitter to clear the air over the scheme.

The risk of being fleeced by taxis and auto-rickshaws and whether senior citizens -- either accompanied by someone or alone-- can be exempted were some frequently asked questions.(AFP)

While some questions had already been addressed by the Delhi government, others posed a conundrum.

A popular question that came up was about the status of cars with licence plate numbers ending with ‘0’. The Delhi government has said ‘0’ will fall in the ‘even’ category.

Some questioned the feasibility of the scheme, asking why “other constructive methods weren’t adopted.” In an attempt to curb alarming levels of pollution in the city, the government has also proposed other measures such as shutting down thermal power plants and banning open garbage burning.

Another question that came up during the discussion was whether vehicles registered outside Delhi will have to adhere to these new rules. The government will not be discriminating on the basis of where cars have been registered.

The risk of being fleeced by taxis and auto-rickshaws and whether senior citizens -- either accompanied by someone or alone-- can be exempted were other frequently asked questions.

Questions regarding medical emergencies came up, with users asking how exemptions will work since ambulances cannot always be relied on. Similarly, the case of doctors being able to make it to hospitals on time also begged clarification.

Users also asked how private cab companies’ pricing will be regulated.

The fate of vehicles only passing through Delhi to get to other destinations was also unclear. Users questioned whether cars from other states would actually be asked to go back or take long-winded routes if their licence numbers didn’t match the sanctioned day.

One user also pointed out that car owners with licence plates ending with even numbers would have an unfair advantage every two months, since dates 31st and 1st fall consecutively every two months.