[shankar.balan]

this is operational in Singapore, which is an orderly place and a totalitarian state beneath the surface.
also comes the issue that it is expensive to own a private car there because of the excessively high taxes. People are actively encouraged to use public transport.
Again, such places have an excellent, highly evolved public transport system unlike us.

In India, this is not a good idea because people who own cars, will somehow find a way around the legislation. And what about the bigger vehicles like Lorries and Buses and other vehicles like Autos taxis and so on?

Better to introduce a strictly enforced Congestion Charge like in London. That may help.

[shankar.balan]

Raul yours is a very detailed post.
I have one more suggestion:
If we could build and develop proper satellite cities around our big metros, the problem will get solved partially. However, these will need to be connected with proper road/rail infrastructure.
That would be a relatively easier way to de-congest.
The culture of suburban living will slowly creep in, in this way and we will actually see an improvement over 10-15 years.
They could open up a portion of the land reserves to private builders - we will all benefit from falling land/ construction prices too.

Originally Posted by raul

- apart from more long term measures like balanced development across the country to control overcrowding in cities and the more we wait the more expensive, overpopulated and awful quality of life becomes. Common sense demands we do the basic things right before contemplating more advanced measures.

[Tron]

I think you got the idea from Beijing trying to do something like this? India is not China, we are a democracy. This idea is not at all suited for India. You cannot tell someone not to drive. It worst comes to worst, a congestion charge similar to Central London would be a better answer than telling people not to drive.

[Dud_Dodo]

Nope.
This is not practical at all. Imagine the man power required to track whether the Vehicles plying on the roads are Odd/Even numbers, per the day/date they're on the road. This, hypothetically considering that the workforce enforced to check this actually are committed, hardworking (keeping their eyes open) & ethical.

Leaving it to oneself to follow the rule, how many of us really, really follow the rules? Do we have anybody here who's never jumped a signal? Never bribed (tried bribing) a cop to get away? Never parked in a no parking zone? I doubt.

[elfhelm]

No, nope, Nien, Nyet, Nada!

No one will follow this rule. So even conscientious citizens like me will be seduced into taking our cars out everyday. This will just give cops more leeway for harassment and bribery.

After all, arent we *all* drivers & front passengers supposed to wear seatbelts (I think that is more conspicuous and visible that figuring whether todays number is even or odd)
, and shouldn't *all* bikers wear helmets?

Whatever happened to those rules? The cops in Mumbai catch people for such offenses only when they feel like. And in Thane the cops dont bother even that much as they are busy mooching their hafta off the truckers

[SLK]

so I'll have to buy 2 sets of registrations for all my cars?

this can not happen unless there is absolutely *PERFECT* public transport system. Where people driving cars are just doing it for the sake of it... and not as a necessity.

We here drive out of necessity in those busy hours everyday.... if I'm made to park my car at home every alternate day.... what do you expect?... I stand on the side of the road and ask for lifts from people who have even number cars!!!!... or hang behind the call center cabs…. ?? or climb on the bumpers of the DTC busses?... or crawl for 40kms in a 3 wheeler?.... Or yeah go 10kms to get on the BRT and which takes me 5kms….

This is a ridiculous idea... why are we even discussing this!

[RuffRyder]

A 100% certified NO NO...
The idea is good but not so good for our country, and we should not even

try doing something wacky like that..

[ramie2400]

Source:TV News Channel India TV.
Hello Mumbaities,As all of you can see the traffic conditions going bad to worst day-by-day,with all incomplete work,bad roads,under construction flyovers,lengthy signals,the Mumbai Traffic Police is in plan and coming up with a new rule for Private Vehicle Owners to ease the traffic in the city by atleast 20% each day,dunno if its really benificial for us.

The rules are,car numbers ending with certain digit number will not be allowed to be driven in the city EACH DAY. eg.MH-01-Am-4671(Not allowed on Monday)

Number Plate ending with -----Day
1 & 2-------------------------- Monday
3 & 4-------------------------- Tuesday
5 & 6---------------------------Wednesday
7 & 8-------------------------- Thursday
9 & 0-------------------------- Friday

Saturday's & Sunday's this rule will be taken-off and you can drive freely.

Ramie

[nishantgandhi]

I somehow have no trust on India TV. All they show is bogus cooked up stories - such as UFO spottings, Flying cows, Alien invasion etc. Because of this they recently also had to face I&B Ministry's wrath. I remember reading a news article some time back that they were asked to apologize as they were found guilty of spreading superstitious beliefs.

This idea has been in the pipeline for quite some time, both in Delhi as well as in Mumbai. But since the last few years, the Govt has been 'watching' the experience of other countries where similar move has been adopted. e.g. Philippines has a rule that license plates ending with odd digits can be on the road on M, W, F and vice versa for even digit ending license plates.

This has not really decreased the traffic congestion and nor the pollution. People always find a way out. Many have bought 2 cars - one with odd and the other with even plates. Better still, illegal ways have been adopted.

[normally_crazy]

HAHAHAHAHA

Traffic planning in Mumbai ? By whom ? The traffic dept. ? That cracked me up !!!!!

In fact if we drive a bit more responsibly and within rules, more than 40% of the traffic woes will be solved.

[hvkumar]

One more way for the cops to make money - elections are coming and politicians have to increase hafta budgets to fight them.

And rest of the days, is the public expected to sit at home- or use the wonderful public transport system whose inefficiency led to car population growth in the first place.

Pplease note that all this so-called traffic planning covers only South Bombay, which is a peaceful place for most part. Will they dare introduce this rule in EEH, WEH and all the roads leading to railway stations, which is where the traffic congestion really is.

In any case, whatt has ben widely discussed is only the Even No/ Odd No method for excluding vehicles.

With so amny families having more han 1 car, don't think this is going to be a problem for most - those who do not, are going to buy news cars anyway to beat the rule.

And don't rule out fake photocopies of RC books with car numbers also altered - Yeh India hai meri Jaan!!

[Sahil]

This move could just back fire, people that have one car would start buying used or cheaper cars like the Nano to drive on other days. They would techincally abide by the law when they register one car with an odd number and one with an even. At the end of it all, more cars on the road !!

People that cant afford a second car would often start alternating with random number plates.

[HappyWheels]

Something like this started off in Bangalore, some time back: traffic regulated at major roads (MG road and few more) by mean of odd & even number. But after the initial reports, nothing now.

As far as I heard, it has not been implemented. So, this are all just PR activities!

[bblost]

A poll exists on this issue.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...-odd-even.html

[nishantgandhi]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

HAHAHAHAHA

Traffic planning in Mumbai ? By whom ? The traffic dept. ? That cracked me up !!!!!

In fact if we drive a bit more responsibly and within rules, more than 40% of the traffic woes will be solved.

I couldn't agree more. What Bombay/rest of India needs is 'traffic discipline' more than weird rules like these. From the govt's side, we need proper roads and law enforcing cops and high (but proper) fines. From the people's side, they need to stick to their lanes and follow rules - at all times.

One thing I am amazed about is the marked difference in traffic regualtion in Mumbai. While in South Bombay, even a minor lane cutting could attract a fine, suburbs are more like an open jungle. Autos and 'kali-peeli' cabs are common factors on both sides, although the autos are the rural cousins of the latter. And the amount of people walking/spilling all over the road making it difficult to drive is crazy

I was really impressed by Dubai's traffic control. Agreed, they do have massive traffic jams, but those are organized jams I never saw lane cutting or even overtaking without signalling through the turn indicator. The penalty for signal jumping and no parking is a hefty fine and repeat offences could get your car impounded.