The plan to curb the number of vehicles plying in the city, however, has a host of exemptions, including two-wheelers, women drivers and top politicians. The restrictions will also not apply to CNG and electric vehicles.

The odd-even scheme, to be run on a trial basis from 1 January to 15 January, will limit four-wheelers to alternate days.

Cars with licence plates ending in an odd number can ply on odd dates and those ending in an even number can run on even dates between 8am and 8pm, except on Sunday, when no restrictions apply.

The penalty in case of a violation is Rs.2,000.

The numerous exemptions, experts say, will reduce the effectiveness of the plan that seeks to curb vehicle emissions in the world’s most polluted city.

The city has been engulfed by a blanket of smog in recent days, triggering respiratory problems among its residents.

“There are no justifications for some of the exemptions that have been included,” said DebolinaKundu, associate professor at the National Institute of Urban Affairs. “In the long run, I don’t think it is very viable. It is just a token effort.”

The right way to approach the problem of pollution is to strengthen public transport and last-mile connectivity, Kundu added.

But these steps will take a long time to implement in a city that’s already choking with a noxious combination of vehicle exhaust, dust and smoke from burning of waste.

On Wednesday, the city saw the highest level of air pollution this year with particulate matter (PM) 2.5 (tiny particles that cause respiratory problems) levels at 295 micrograms/m3 and PM10 levels at 470 micrograms/m3.

Announcing the blueprint, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said: “Pollution has become a very serious problem.”

“We will do an assessment at the end of 15 days. If the people accept this plan, we will think about having a permanent solution. Other countries have also taken such steps to tackle high pollution levels,” he said.

According to the Delhi statistical handbook for 2015, the total number of registered vehicles in the city in 2014-15 was 8.83 million. Delhi added 534,000 vehicles in the year ended 31 March.

Given the staggering pace of addition of new vehicles, the odd-even plan appears to be a bold measure to curb pollution.

“It may not work the first time around, but it is a bold step that shows the changing trend in urban transportation in the country,” said SudhakarYedla, professor at the Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai. He focuses on urban transportation policy.

“If you wait for public transport to improve, it will never happen. It may be a knee-jerk reaction from the government, but (such an initiative) needs a champion,” he said.

The Delhi government has taken all approvals including that of the lieutenant governor, and will issue a formal notification for the scheme on Monday.

The list of 20-plus exemptions from the restrictions include VIPs, emergency vehicles, ambulances, fire engines, hospitals, prisons, hearses, enforcement vehicles and defence ministry vehicles.

Among VIPs, leaders of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, chief ministers of states, judges of the Supreme Court and high court and Lokayukta are exempt.

The Delhi chief minister and the state’s cabinet ministers have been left out of the exemptions.

Female drivers, CNG and electric vehicles, vehicles driven by or occupied by handicapped persons are also exempt. Two-wheelers and female drivers accompanied by a male passenger under 12 years of age have also been left out.

However, outstation vehicles including those coming from the National Capital Region have not been exempted from the scheme.

Cities where such a scheme has been implemented include Beijing, Paris and Mexico City.

To ensure effective implementation of the plan, the Delhi government is planning to deploy 10,000 volunteers around the city. Public transport including buses and the Metro will be run at high frequency. The government plans to run 6,000 more buses to accommodate those who can’t drive their cars. The government is also urging residents to carpool to reduce pressure on public transport.