Air Quality Index Delhi: Odd-Even rule commences in National Capital; pollution levels remain in 'severe' category with AQI at 439

New Delhi: The odd-even road rationing scheme, an anti-pollution measure, kicked in from 8 am on Monday in the city, with chief minister Arvind Kejriwal urging people to follow it for the sake of their family and kids. Under the scheme, apart from exempted categories, only those non-transport four-wheeled vehicles will ply on the roads which have registration numbers ending with an even digit. The overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of the city at 7:30 am stood at 439, which falls in the “severe” category. An AQI between 0-50 is considered ‘good’, 51-100 ‘satisfactory’, 101-200 ‘moderate’, 201-300 ‘poor’, 301-400 ‘very poor’ and 401-500 ‘severe’. An AQI above 500 falls in the ‘severe plus’ category. “Namaste Delhi, odd-even is starting from today to reduce pollution. Please do follow it for yourself, your family, kids and your breath. Share cars. It will strengthen friendship, form relations, save petrol and pollution,” Kejriwal said in an early morning tweet in Hindi.

नमस्ते दिल्ली! प्रदूषण कम करने के लिए आज से Odd Even शुरू हो रहा है। अपने लिए, अपने बच्चों की सेहत के लिए और अपने परिवार की साँसों के लिए Odd Even का ज़रूर पालन करें। कार शेयर करें। इस से दोस्ती बढ़ेगी, रिश्ते बनेंगे, पेट्रोल बचेगा और प्रदूषण भी कम होगा।

दिल्ली फिर कर दिखायेगी

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 4, 2019

Violations of the odd-even rule will invite a fine of Rs 4,000. Over 600 teams of Delhi Traffic Police and the transport and revenue departments have been deployed for strict implementation of the scheme across the city. [caption id=“attachment_7595401” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Commuters ride on Rajpath amid heavy smog in New Delhi. PTI[/caption] Under the scheme, which will be implemented from 8 am to 8 pm till 15 November, non-transport four-wheeled vehicles with registration numbers ending with an odd digit (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) will not be allowed on the roads on 4, 6, 8, 12 and 14 November. Similarly, vehicles with registration numbers ending with an even digit (0, 2, 4, 6, 8) will not be allowed on the roads on 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15 November. Two-wheelers and electric vehicles have been exempted from the restrictions, but not CNG-driven vehicles. Women-only vehicles with children aged up to 12 years and vehicles occupied by physically-disabled persons will also be exempted. Twenty-nine categories of vehicles, including those of President, prime minister, emergency and enforcement vehicles, have been exempted. However, the vehicles of the Delhi chief minister and ministers will not be exempted.