Drivers can breathe again… odd-even car trial ends in smog-clogged New Delhi

New Delhi on Friday wrapped up a trial of draconian driving restrictions which have taken about a million cars off the roads and seen even judges and diplomats carpool, but made little obvious difference to air quality in the world’s most polluted capital. The city’s air quality levels remained “very unhealthy” on Friday, the final day of the two-week experiment in allowing private cars on the roads only on alternate days. Commuters were nonetheless positive about the scheme, which the government might adopt on a more permanent basis, although mostly because it freed up traffic on the city’s usually clogged roads. “The traffic situation in Delhi has really improved. Earlier, it used to take me nearly one hour to commute to work and back (home), but now the time has cut to half. It’s such a relief,” said Rohit Srivastava, a 32-year-old bank executive who had been carpooling with his colleagues and taking the metro every second day.

Less cars means less traffic jams, which in turn means we inhale less pollution

Autorickshaw driver Tej Bahadur Patel

In a city where road rules are routinely flouted, most drivers appeared to be obeying the restrictions and many said they viewed the scheme positively. Violators faced a fine of 2,000 rupees ($30), a large sum for most people in the city. The Delhi government said the trial resulted in a “more than 50% drop in air pollution primarily caused by vehicular traffic” at 18 locations in the city it had been monitoring. India’s Supreme Court has backed the scheme, dismissing a slew of legal challenges, and even top judges said they were carpooling. The city’s government will meet on Monday to review the scheme and decide if it should continue.

People are dying due to pollution and you are challenging it for publicity

Supreme court ustices AK Sikri and R Banumathi dismiss a legal challenge

World delhi car