From January 1 to 15, cars with either odd or even number plates will run on the same day.
Delhi will have an additional 6000 buses, to double the number currently in use, running on the roads from January 1 to 15, when the government implements its ambitious odd-even plan for cars to curb pollution.
The Delhi Transport Corporation or DTC which manages the public fleet of buses in Delhi has around 4000 buses making multiple trips every day. Under the plan, cars with either odd or even number plates will run on the same day. The number of autos in the city will also be doubled, Satyender Jain, minister in charge of implementing the plan said. "An auto can be run by two drivers in two shifts," Mr Jain said.
Half the seats in 2000 of these additional buses will be reserved for women, Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai said. These are DTC buses currently used to ferry schoolchildren.
"Questions were asked about public transport not being up strong enough. We held meetings," Mr Rai said, speaking on coordination with different transport agencies. "We are talking to railways to increase frequency of the Circular Suburban Rail," he said.
In other plans, the government announced it would fine those burning leaves or garbage Rs 5000. It has also decided to penalise polluting vehicles without genuine pollution-under-check certificates from January 1, 2016.
Roads will be repaired and bus lanes mark to allow the additional buses to run smoothly, Mr Jain said. The government will launch an app for auto users.