The Sikkim government is set to introduce an odd-even scheme for both government and private vehicles in the state, aimed at reducing traffic congestion on the busy highway within the Gangtok Municipal Area, specifically between Mayfair Fatak and GICI, Zero Point. The exact implementation date has yet to be announced.
According to a statement from the State Home Department, high-ranking officials will be exempt from this rule, receiving red exemption stickers issued by the department’s protocol section. Officers at the level of Joint Secretary and below who require exemptions must submit their information along with justifications by October 26 for consideration by higher authorities.
The odd-even scheme, first implemented in Delhi in 2016, restricts vehicles based on their license plate numbers, allowing odd-numbered plates on odd dates and even-numbered plates on even dates. The initiative in Delhi aimed to mitigate air pollution caused by non-electric vehicles, which significantly contribute to the region’s air quality issues. While the scheme offers environmental and health benefits, critics highlight several challenges, including difficulties in enforcement, a range of exemptions that undermine its effectiveness, and its short-term nature.
Experts argue that such measures should be complemented with sustainable, long-term solutions to address pollution comprehensively. Vivek Chattopadhyay, Principal Program Manager at the Centre for Science and Environment’s Air Pollution Control Unit, emphasized that pollution levels in Delhi typically rise in September and may worsen by mid-October due to changing weather patterns. He suggested that while the Sikkim government’s adoption of the odd-even strategy could help, it should only be applied in critical situations and for short durations, ideally lasting four to six days.