Delhi: Odd-Even Scheme May Be Extended If Air Quality Continues To Drop, Says CM Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday (13 November) said the Odd-Even scheme may be extended if the air quality continues to drop.

Speaking to the media, he said he is worried about people's health as well as country image before the world because of the air pollution.

"We may extend the Odd-Even, if required," Kejriwal said. He also said the image India is building before the world is also not good.

Kejriwal said when German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in the city last month, there was smog all around.

"Delhi is the national capital and if there is so much smog, what kind of message it is giving to the world. When Merkel was here, there was smog all around. What kind of message it will give?" Kejriwal said.

The Delhi government announced Odd-Even between 4 and 15 November to keep air pollution in check.

The Odd-Even is a road rationing system in which vehicles with registration number ending with even digits -- 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 -- are allowed to run on even dates, and those ending with odd numbers 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 will ply on odd dates.

The scheme aims to curb the number of cars on roads and to limit the pollution caused by them. It is applicable in Delhi from Monday to Saturday between 8 am and 8 pm with violation of the scheme attracting a penalty of Rs 4,000.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)