[zee_bat]

Originally Posted by mayankk

You may bat for the "air is cleaner" side all day. However, when even a small percentage of cars go off the road, there is bound to be cleaner air, not just owing to the numbers, but also because even a small number going off moves them off from the junctions, the side streets, the sidewalk. Basically a 10% at-home-crowd can give you smooth and free flow.
Good..

As I said in my previous post, it's all a matter of priority given to either personal or communal welfare.
A dear friend of mine who is a cancer survivor, devoid of any "bad" habits, blames his cancer to be a result of the bad air quality of Delhi. Even he is planning to wear a PM filter mask and cycle it to work which is atleast an hour's ride on a bike. Although this measure is unthinkable in the Delhi summers, why not contribute a little towards your own environment in whatever way you can and tolerate some inconvenience? Anyway, this little measure by the Delhi govt is a question to us all- whether we can make the impractical work because of the severity of the situation, or whether we submit to the impossible task, tag a solution as impractical, and later complain about inaction and the damage that cannot be undone.

[phamilyman]

Here's another information - IndiaSpend - the organization that is actually tracking all those locations, states thus:
http://www.indiaspend.com/cover-stor...odd-even-24914

Air-pollution levels in Delhi rose 50% during the first week (January 1 to 7, 2016) of the state government’s odd-even measure over the previous week (December 25 to December 31, 2015), according to an analysis of PM (particulate matter) 2.5 data, generated by IndiaSpend’s #Breathe air-quality monitoring devices.

The increase in PM2.5 level indicates the need to understand deeper the impact of policy changes, such as the odd-even measure, on Delhi’s air.


They themselves get the data wrong, by comparing a working week to a mega holiday week, but this is what they say:

Average PM 2.5 concentration in Delhi’s air was 361.3 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³) during week 2 (from January 1 to January 7, 2016, after the introduction of the odd-even measure) giving it a ‘severe’ rating, according to the guidelines of the Central Pollution Control Bureau (CPCB). This kind of air can affect healthy people and seriously impact those with existing diseases.

PM 2.5 concentration in Delhi’s air was much lower at 240.1 µg/m³ during week 1 (December 25 to December 31, 2015), prior to the introduction of odd-even rule.

Atleast it is clear that there's no dramatic reduction, not outweighing the colossal pain being caused.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by zee_bat

As I said ---------snip----- undone.

Unfortunately, there is a limit to where doing good will be de-prioritised against personal welfare and survival.
Nobody is saying the measure is not at least a first step.
However, it IS impractical when you look at the complete lack of alternatives.
I would LOVE for the delhi govt to, even at this stage, commission a study as what should be prioritised to alleviate the situation of pollution, a study which oughta have been done before ramming odd-even down my throat.

[hserus]

Photographed by my friend in Delhi.

s this number odd or even? Or is it even a number?

[tajender]

I had this question in mind ever since the rules of this odd-even game started by Mr. Kejriwal were first published. Are cars like Camry hybrid and Ciaz SHVS exempt from the wrath of this rule and can ply on any day be it even or odd just like any CNG vehicle?

[outofthebox]

Originally Posted by rdhawan15

These reports or the salient points therein are available to read in the print and web editions of Hindustan Times and Times of India. Please feel free to read them on these sites.

Sir, what I found in TOI is exactly opposite to your claims:

Odd-even scheme: Peak pollution level at 'lowest', says SC-appointed panel

The car rationing "odd-even" scheme, which has reduced the traffic volume, has managed to bring down the peak level of pollution in the national capital to its "lowest", a Supreme Court appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) has said.
EPCA said both particulate matter and nitrogen oxide load from cars have reduced substantially, by as much as "40 per cent", in the first week of its implementation thus validating the importance of the car rationing measure.

Source

The air quality situation is bad as it is for us and our loved ones. Everyone needs to pitch in and help out. I'm sure you are a smart, responsible forum member and know the consequences of spreading unverified misinformation on online forums. You know what to do.

[zee_bat]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Sir,

With due respect, except for a LOOOONG emotional appeal you shared zero data. .... Till then, no more emotional appeals without data. Please.

I concede then my friend, I do not have any quantifiable data on the subject. The odd-even formula is anyway not based on logic but is rather a plea to us to do our part in controlling air pollution. Hence the histrionics. I thought Ethos is as effective a way as Logos is in trying to effectuate a tiny change within ourselves. Anyway, no more emotional appeals then. Let us hope the Supreme Court helps directing the Central and the State Governments to tackle crop burning, redirection of Non-Delhi bound trucks, fuel standards and public transport infrastructure to tackle the problem in a more logical way. I just thought the step, however impractical, was a step in the right direction at least in terms of creating awareness and reducing congestion, if nothing else.

[msdivy]

Removing around 50% of the vehicles (though with exceptions) on road will reduce congestion. This is till the number of vehicles goes back to the same level. So benefits of odd/even ban is temporary.
Coming to pollution, unless the banned the vehicles contribute to pollution there won't be any effect. After a week, there are mixed effects on pollution

Delhi’s air quality worsens by 50% a week into odd-even rationing vs Delhi's air quality improves after 9 days of odd-even formula, pollution levels drop sharply

[GTO]

The capital of jugaad

With Delhi government's odd-even rule in full swing, the capital of jugaad is up and running to devise newer ways to flip the bird at the law keepers. Among the more innovative ideas to have come to our notice is Delhi residents who work in Gurgaon joining hands with Gurgaon cab operators to swap vehicles.

On days there is a ban on their car, Delhi car owners are sending their car with chauffeur to Gurgaon, where a cab operator gives a yellow numberplate cab - exempted from the odd-even rule - in exchange for use in Delhi. The swapping of vehicles is done before 8am and after 8pm, to escape the odd-even time limit.

Source & Full Article

[ghodlur]

Another advantage if the odd-even initiative is successful and adopted is that it could reduce the Insurance premiums. Since the no of vehicles plying on the roads are reduced, Insurers assume that the chances of claims are even more reduced, thereby passing the benefits to the customers.

http://www.business-standard.com/art...0600233_1.html

[OneToughRider]

Now I got used to this Odd/Even scheme on alternate days. Interactive discussions from home to office & vice versa just on the price of moving out of comfort isn't bad in busy schedules. Even though jams on NH8 from Delhi to Gurgaon persists in the last week as well.

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by msdivy

Coming to pollution, unless the banned the vehicles contribute to pollution there won't be any effect.

All motors run by fossil fuels will contribute to pollution. Some will contribute less and others will contribute more based on the engine quality and maintenance. Even a brand new petrol driven car will contribute some harmful gases to the environment, may be under the prescribed limit, but it can not be zero.

[phamilyman]

This is affecting only the middle class and will soon result in utter gridlock in delhi's mohallas which often didn't consider today's car population (which is natural) when being constructed.

What will happen? if this goes on for long, people will simply buy a second used car, even a nano or an old alto if required.

People have cars because they need to use them - forcing a thoroughly inconvenient rule like this has zero stickiness because of delhi's purchasing power and because of keeping up with the joneses. Everyone will have a neighbor with odd+even cars who is benefiting, while they struggle in public transport. Sooner or later, everyone says, to hell with this, i'm getting another car.

What happens? the mohallas get choked further with these cars that are parked on road even after this policy is withdrawn. One hell of a negative externality coming our way, Delhi. Get ready for the mother of all parking nightmares.

[arun_josie]

New Maruti Ertiga diesel, Ciaz diesel exempt from Delhi odd-even scheme. Is this true?

The odd-even scheme which was implemented recently in Delhi-NCR has impacted car owners in the capital. However, this radical scheme will not be applicable to CNG, electric and hybrid vehicles, women-only cars and those belonging to top politicians. This means, a majority of the mainstream new car buyers will have to shift to CNG-powered models or hybrid cars, such as the Prius, which are not really mass market or affordable.

Maruti recently launched its fuel-saving SHVS tech in India and the first model to benefit from it was the Ciaz sedan equipped with the 89bhp 1.3-litre diesel engine. The carmaker also added this feature in the facelifted Ertiga diesel which also comes with the same engine. Since these two models come with Maruti’s SHVS system that includes a start-stop mechanism and other upgrades (See below), they qualify as 'hybrids' and hence fall in the exempted list. Apart from this, both these models also qualify for the subsidy extension of around Rs 13,000 under the Government of India’s electric and hybrid vehicle policy also known as the FAME scheme.

What is Maruti’s SHVS tech?

As reported earlier, the SHVS system comes with a start-stop technology uses an integrated starter generator (ISG) that functions as a battery charger during braking and acts as the starter motor when the stop-start technology is in use. The car also gets an electric boost via the Engine Power Assist system where the ISG supplements the engine’s power during acceleration. This happens at around 2,500rpm. The car also comes equipped with a gear shift indicator. Vehicles equipped with this system get a new high-capacity battery. The system uses a separate ‘U’ belt-driven starter/generator that also uses an additional idler and tensioner belt system to keep the belt firmly on the pulley.

Here is the link to the news article,

http://m.autocarindia.com/Article.as...form=hootsuite

[tajender]

To all the gurus who are fighting over the pros-cons, my opinion that this is just a half hearted attempt of finding a solution of the problem where the problem does not exists. The major chunk of problem lies in 2-wheelers and commercial transport which openly flout the set norms and get away by paying meagre amounts as "chai-paani" to enforcement agencies.

The government targeted cars, because they find them as a soft target and a source from where they can mint some money. Try mounting a challan of Rs. 2000 from a scooterist and he might leave his scooter with you and walk of as the remaining value of his vehicle is way less than that. The government cannot reign in jugaad's that run cycle rickshaws on scooter engines and motorcycles that actually carry so much of goods that some trucks might feel shy for the sheer load being put on these two wheelers. The government is not willing to clear up the pile of construction waste and dust which is occupying atleast 1 lane out of every road because that needs more money and real efforts. The government does not wants to move the factories out of Delhi, because most of them are run by the politicians themselves. The government cannot stop burning of waste in open because that requires active policing and enforcement and enforcement is what is out of their hands.

In Kejriwal's own words, "People said that they (AAP) do not know governance and that they only know about dharnas. The success (of the odd-even scheme) has shown that we can deliver, govern and hold dharnas as the need may be". This was published in all national dailies. This simply proves the fact that Kejriwal government used this opportunity not to control pollution but just to prove "Who's the boss?"

Anyways, to cut the long story short, I am in market looking to change my car in near future. Good that this policy came right now, before I could place my money on some vehicle. I am now contemplating what car to buy and this odd-even rule comes as another variable to the already complex equation of "what car to buy?"

I want to buy a car that is exempt of this odd-even scheme. Budget being around 10L capped at max of 11L. I am not interested in buying a CNG vehicle as it is not a refined technology and needs a lot of research to be put into it and I am not touching any CNG car even with a kilometer long stick unless they come up with engines specifically designed to work on CNG and with range of atleast 400 Kms on 1 refill and CNG stations all across the nation. The main question that I have is, if Ertiga SHVS or Ciaz SHVS or Camry Hybrid exempt from this odd-even crap? Or shall I wait endlessly till some company decides to introduce the likes of Tesla S or Nissan Leaf?