The Bombay High Court on Thursday asked the Maharashtra government, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), state environment ministry and three other bodies to file their response to a petition seeking introduction of odd-even scheme for private cars in Mumbai along the lines of Delhi.
Abench of Justices VM Kanade and RevetiMohite-Dere asked the respondents, including regional transport office and the BMC, to reply by February 9.
Under the odd-even car rationing programme, vehicles with registration numbers ending with even figures and those with odd numbers would run on alternate days respectively. SK Nair, special counsel for the state, said that the public transport system in the city is already under tremendous pressure. "Before doing anything else, we have to improve and enhance capacity of the public transport system."
He said, "On an average, each suburban train carries 4,700 commuters as against the capacity of 1,600, and during peak hours, BEST buses transport as many as 12 passengers per square meter, which is double the capacity."
The counsel informed the HC that the government has appointed two expert committees to discuss ways to enhance capacity of public transport. He sought time to place before the court their views.
According to the PIL, the residents of the megapolis are facing health problems due to air pollution caused vehicular emission and by burning and poor management of solid waste by the civic body.
"Recent studies conducted by experts show that the pollution levels are steadily rising and hence there is a need to introduce the odd-even rule for private vehicles on roads," the petitioner contended.
Anil Sakhare, who represented the BMC, sought time to address the court on the issue. Advocates Armin Wandrewala and Ravi Gadagkar appeared as intervenors.
The petitioner contended that Mumbai, which has fewer vehicles than Delhi, tops in vehicular emission due to congested roads, lack of space because of the coastline and rising number of diesel vehicles. It also said that movement of emergency vehicles get affected due to traffic jams.
The PIL said that Delhi implemented the odd-even traffic pattern because of poor air quality. A similar exercise should be undertaken in Mumbai also to bring down the air pollution levels, it said.
To begin with, the odd-even rule could be implemented in Mumbai for 15 days, said the petition, urging that a committee be formed to adopt this pattern on a permanent basis. Along with these petitions, the high court would also take up hearing a notice of motion pending since 1999. The motion was taken out in a petition filed by Debi Goenka of Bombay Environmental Action Group about a scheme proposed in 2004 to restrain vehicles by 20 per cent on any day in a week. The state had then said that the scheme could not be implemented.
However, the government will have to take a stand when the notice of motion comes up for hearing on February 9.
