Rich neighbours find way out, will exchange cars on odd-even days

The controversial odd-even rule might not be all bad news for the rich in the Capital. Your odd-numbered BMW or Audi can be exchanged for an even-numbered Ferrari or a Porsche to beat the hassles on those 15 days.

The controversial odd-even rule might not be all bad news for the rich in the Capital. Your odd-numbered BMW or Audi can be exchanged for an even-numbered Ferrari or a Porsche to beat the hassles on those 15 days.

A view of traffic jam at Ring Road near ISBT in New Delhi . In a move to curb pollution, the Delhi government has proposed the even-odd number formula for cars. (PTI)

Several posh neighbourhoods across the city have opened their doors to a unique car donation, adoption and exchange scheme where, when the owner is not using his or her vehicle they can give it to someone to drive around the city for the day. The best part — the service is free of cost, with many owners just asking for your identity proof as security.

Rohan Singh Oberoi, a 29-year-old pilot with a private airline, who lives in Hauz Khas, has signed up for this sharing arrangement which had started in his colony over a week back when the government had announced the rule. Though many initially hesitated to give their cars to a stranger to drive, now people have started volunteering.

“There was an initial hesitation among people because it we are talking about expensive cars here. No one around the area owns anything less than an Audi or a BMW. Giving such cars to even known neighbours is a risk. But we found a way out for that too. People who want can send their drivers along with the car,” Oberoi said.

Manjinder Dheer, a businessman and a resident of south Delhi’s Anand Niketan, proposed this initiative in his neighbourhood where he offered that his neighbours could use his cars during the days when their car’s registration number would not be allowed to ply.

“I have three cars and all of them have an even registration number. So with this arrangement I plan to offer two of the cars which are not used that day and on the odd day I will take a car from someone who has put his car on offer. This has become popular here and we hope it will go the way we have planned it,” said Dheer.

He, however, said that because of safety concerns they have decided to keep their sharing arrangement a close-knit one.

“We are letting only the people we know into the arrangement. The hassles of a bigger group are something we do not want to get into,” he said.

Though in several of these neighbourhoods cars are being given in exchange for cars, but there are people who are offering their expensive vehicles to neighbours in their absence.

Sixty five-year-old Rajan Dhillon, who has been away from the city for over four months now, heard about this scheme and decided to let people take his cars during the odd or the even days.

“I have been in Mumbai and the cars are just parked in my house with no one to drive it. I thought it will be a good idea to let people I know drive it during those days. The cars will be maintained and it will be of some use to someone,” Dhillon said over a telephonic conversation.

He owns an Audi Q5 and a Jaguar XF.

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