DHAKA:  Under fire over rising pollution in Delhi and the lack of a concrete plan to tackle it, the Arvind Kejriwal government has announced that private vehicles with odd and even registration numbers will be allowed on the roads of the capital only on alternate days starting next month.

This means that from January 1, 2016, if vehicles with number plates ending with an odd number can be driven one day, only those ending with an even number can be brought out the next day. This will not apply to public vehicles, reports the NDTV.

"Every year pollution level increases in winter. For some time, odd and even numbered vehicles will run on alternate days. Alternate arrangements are being made to bolster public transport. DTC buses, Metro services will ply extra. We are still working out the modalities," said KK Sharma, Delhi Principal Secretary.

The government said it hoped to cut down vehicular pollution in the state by half with the measure, which is likely to be very controversial.

A joint meeting of all stakeholders including traffic police, transport department and Municipal Corporation of Delhi will be called to prepare a blueprint for swift implementation of the executive order.

It was announced after an emergency meeting called by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday, a day after the Delhi High Court said living in Delhi was like "living in a gas chamber".

The government also decided at the meeting to close down a unit of the Badarpur coal plant.

BDST: 1903 HRS, DEC 04, 2015
RS