Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said the odd-even road rationing scheme will be implemented in Delhi from November 4 to 15. Under the scheme, odd and even numbered vehicles ply on alternate days.

Kejriwal said the move was aimed at combating high levels of air pollution in winters when crop burning takes place in neighbouring states.

The chief minister announced his seven-point action plan to tackle pollution due to crop burning which includes distribution of masks, mechanised sweeping of roads, tree plantation, and special plans for 12 pollution hot spots in the city.

Apart from that he announced plans to buy electric buses and invited corporate to invest in luxury buses.

Kejriwal added, 1,000 electric buses will be introduced to the national capital. He also said that a bus aggregator policy will be announced soon.

"If you enforce Odd-Even for a long time, the implementation becomes troublesome. As of now, Odd-Even will only be restricted to this time frame," said Kejriwal.

Emergency vehicles will not be subject to this, he said.

He also asserted that Supreme Court guidelines during Diwali on firecrackers will be sternly enforced. Kejriwal also urged people of Delhi to take part in plantation drives.

Kejriwal also said that the government will distribute anti-pollution masks to the people in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari said the odd-even scheme is not needed in Delhi.

"No I don't think it is needed. The Ring Road we have built has significantly reduced pollution in the city and our planned schemes will free Delhi of pollution in the next two years," ANI quoted Gadkari as saying.

This is the third time the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has implemented the odd-even scheme to fight Delhi's pollution, which reaches severe levels in the aftermath of Diwali due to poor air quality as a result of the burning of crackers and stubble burning by farmers in neighbouring states.

— with inputs from agencies

First Published:Sept 13, 2019 12:27 PM IST