NEW DELHI, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Indian capital has made bus rides free to encourage people to use public transport when the odd-even car rationing scheme kicks off next week in the wake of high pollution levels in the city.
"To encourage use of public transport during odd-even, Delhi gov't to allow free travel for commuters in all DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation) and Cluster buses from 13-17 November," Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot tweeted.
The Delhi government is also planning to introduce 500 additional buses to the existing fleet of around 4,000 DTC buses, officials said on Saturday.
Pollution levels are 30 times the World Health Organisation's recommended limit in some areas of the national capital. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has already likened the city to a "gas chamber".
The Delhi government had Thursday announced the return of the odd-even car rationing scheme, under which private cars with odd and even number plates will be allowed to ply on roads only on alternate days.
The scheme will come into effect Monday for a week and the Delhi government claims it will cut down vehicular pollution to half, one of the major sources of pollution. The scheme was trialled last year also, but its effect on pollution is still not clear.
Delhi witnesses high pollution levels every year in winter mainly due to farmers in the neighbouring northern state of Punjab and Haryana burning crop stubble to clear their fields.
