The Aam Aadmi Party government on Friday announced that private vehicles with odd and even registration numbers will be allowed to ply in Delhi on alternate days, NDTV reported. The new regulation will be in place from January 1and was announced after an emergency meeting held by the state government on the matter. The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday criticised the government for not taking measures to curb pollution and directed it to start making public notifications about Delhi’s most polluted areas.

The capital has reportedly seen a seven-fold increase in pollution since October, with particulate matter readings well above the permissible limit. The government hopes to cut down on vehicular pollution levels by half after implementing its new move. The Delhi High Court on Thursday also came down on the city’s pollution levels, saying that living in Delhi was like living in a “gas chamber”, and asked the AAP government for a plan on anti-pollution measures by December 21. The court had said previous plans provided were not comprehensive.