NEW DELHI (TIP): With air quality dipping further on November 9 to its worst level this year, the Delhi government announced that the odd even car rationing scheme will be rolled out in the city for five days from November 13 to November 17.

Announcing this, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said that the scheme, a part of the emergency measure in the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), created and enforced by the Supreme Court-appointed EPCA, will be in place from 8 am to 8 pm like last year and will allow odd-numbered cars to run on odd dates while even-numbered cars will only run on even dates.

Earlier, the odd-even scheme had been implemented, initially for a fortnight beginning from January 1, 2016 and then four months later from April 15 to 30.

The move came after an “emergency” prevailed in the capital for the third day, with the Air Quality Index, worsening to 486, on a scale of 500 – and predicted to get worse over the next 48 hours. As per norms, a satisfactory AQI level is 100 and Delhi routinely is between 300 and 400.

After the Central Pollution Control Board task force told EPCA on Wednesday that prevailing conditions called for an “emergency” response, Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met and announced that they were “preparing” for the implementation of the scheme.

Gahlot asked citizens and agencies to cooperate and promised that radio-cab services would not be allowed to use surge-pricing. He added that the DTC would hire 500 buses from private contractors to deal with the increased number of commuters. He said, “”Delhi Metro has also promised to provide 100 small buses during the period. Schools will be free to provide their buses voluntarily. However, there will be no compulsion.”

He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call a meeting of Chief Ministers of Delhi and its surrounding states to find a solution to the crisis.

The exemptions, Gahlot said, would include CNG vehicles, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, women-only vehicles and those carrying children up to 12 years of age, as well as children in school uniform.

He added, “IGL (Indraprastha Gas Limited) will issue stickers which will be available at 22 CNG stations in Delhi. Extra buses are also being arranged. But we will not requisition them for schoo buses.”