Though several measures have been taken to ensure less traffic on roads, they rarely deliver the desired result.

With Delhi at a nascnet stage of its odd-even formula to ease traffic, Thane's MLA PratapSarnaik has written to the state transport minister to implement the space rationing system in Thane, Mumbai and in the state.

"With increasing population in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, there has been an increase in the number of vehicles on the road," said Sarnaik, adding that a journey that should ideally take 15 to 20 minutes by road, takes over two hours due to traffic.

Heavy traffic is also responsible for air pollution, which are marked at higher levels, which are choking the cities in the state and India. The Delhi government was prompted to adopt the odd-even formula on road due to the high pollution level. According to the Delhi government's new rule, the vehicles with number plates with odd numbers will ply on one day and number plates with even numbers will ply on the other. However, 25 categories like emergency service vehicles, taxis and cars driven by women which may have only female co-passengers and children up to age of 12, have been exempted from this restriction. The violators of this rule have to pay a penalty of Rs 2,000.

"This system has brought down pollution levels down by 50% as well as has reduced the traffic system in Delhi," Sarnaik said. "If this system is applied in Thane as well as the rest of the state, then it will bring down pollution, ease traffic, discipline motorists and also help pedestrians," the MLA said.

However, DivakarRaote, the state transport minister has discarded the solution. "Our duty is to provide solutions to citizens traffic problems and not to prevent them from driving on the roads. The state is already doing what it can by improving transport system," he said.