Smog triggers another driving ban in New Delhi

For the second time this year, a million New Delhi cars will be forced to stay off the road each day for the next two weeks in an effort to reduce the city’s hazardous air pollution levels. The Indian capital was ranked the world’s most polluted urban centre in 2014, with smog concentrations frequently reaching hazardous levels for children, the elderly, and people with heart or respiratory issues. The Delhi decision follows a similar recent driving ban in Mexico City, where heavy smog and high ozone levels have also raised health concerns. Gufran Beig, the chief scientist at India’s state-run System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research says that such bans are insufficient to combat escalating pollution in developing world cities. 

More than a million private cars were banned from Delhi’s roads on Friday, as authorities began an experimental scheme to battle smog in the world’s most polluted capital.



In a city with nearly 3 million private cars, fewer than 200 motorists were stopped by police and fined 2,000 rupees (£20) for defying the Indian capital’s first-ever licence plate driving ban, which is in place for the next two weeks.

Delhi’s air will have to be monitored for a few days before experts can assess the impact of the measure, but by nightfall on New Year’s Day, both officials and environmentalists claimed the public had accepted the emergency action plan.

“What I saw today all across Delhi was very encouraging,” said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, executive director of the thinktank Centre for Science and Environment. “There were very few even-numbered cars on the roads, and my overall sense is that people have accepted the need for such action.”

“But the biggest achievement today relates to public road transport. Not only were there more buses on the road, but due to less congestion the journey time of buses was much better. If Delhi is to succeed in this mission, only the metro is not enough. We need to augment and improve the bus system also.”

Delhi’s embattled state chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, who had been criticised by political opponents for “hurriedly introducing” the alternate-day travel ban, tweeted: “Delhi has done it! Reports so far v encouraging. Delhiites! U give me hope that U are capable of achieving big challenges.”

But observers warned the real test would come on Monday, when offices reopen after New Year’s Day, a partial holiday in Delhi. Despite a positive first day, the challenge for Kerjriwal’s government has only just begun: there are several sources besides private cars that blight the city’s air, including motorbikes, which were exempt from the ban along with private cars driven by women, ill people, and government ministers.

“Just wait for Monday. People are going to be back to their old habits. Delhiites are too used to their cars,” Kirti Lal, who commutes by bus, told Agence France-Presse.

“I would have expected to catch at least dozens in the first half an hour, but surprisingly most people are obeying,” Ankit Kumar, a traffic policeman, told AFP.

Two other major sources of air pollution are road dust and goods truck emissions, according to a recent study by the Indian Institute of Technology, in Kanpur.

Delhi is still swept with straw brooms – the way it was when the Mughals ruled from the city in the 16th century. Kejriwal said the state government has ordered vacuum sweepers from abroad to clean the city’s streets. He also promised to take action against construction sites that spread air pollutants unchecked.

Delhi’s attempt to fight air pollution is being watched by authorities in other Indian cities. According to a WHO survey, 13 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India.

If Delhi succeeds in its driving ban experiment, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh state may be next. Its young chief minister is reported to be keenly monitoring Kejriwal’s plan.