A Conceptual Review of the Odd-Even Policy on Delhi’s Urban Environment

Abstract

The Odd-Even Policy is a transport rationing mechanism to control pollution levels by restricting the number of on-road vehicles per day. The aim of this policy was to reduce the number of on-road vehicles in a day by about half and thereby reducing the alarming levels of pollution in the State of Delhi. This paper identifies existing policies and evaluates how effective these policy and management options are in sustaining ecosystem services in Delhi and harmonizing them with human needs. The scope of this paper is restricted to the Odd-Even Policy implemented by the Government of Delhi in January-February 2016, and how structural reformations and policy adjustments can be made to the same in order to make it conducive to the indigenous ecosystem services and with that of people’s needs. Consequently, this paper studies whether the proposition stands or the objectives are required to be achieved through alternatives therein. The methodology of research engages in a comparative analysis of the Odd-Even policies implemented in Beijing and Delhi. The research findings are normative, and prescribe reforms to the Delhi model. Data are obtained from secondary sources.