The Sikkim government will soon introduce the “odd-even” system for the movement of vehicles on the NH10 that moves through the civic area of Gangtok to reduce traffic snarls in the state capital.

Sources in the state home department said the state was working on a plan to implement the odd-even system for private and government vehicles on both ends of the national highway that crosses Gangtok.

“The new system will be implemented along the stretch of NH10 that connects Mayfair Fatak with GICI at Zero Point in the Gangtok civic area. According to the plan, vehicles bearing odd and even registration numbers will run on alternative days. The idea is to ease traffic load and congestion on this stretch of the highway,” said a source.

Some officers from the rank of the additional secretary and beyond will be exempted from the restriction.

“They will get stickers signifying the exemption. Such stickers (for vehicles) will be issued by the protocol section of the state home department,” the source added.

The Himalayan state, which sits on the India-China border, is a popular tourist destination in this part of the country.

Every year, thousands of tourists visit Sikkim, especially Gangtok.

“Being the state capital, all major administrative activities happen in Gangtok. During peak tourist seasons, vehicular movement increases and leads to traffic congestion. If private and a section of government vehicles are restricted through this proposed system, traffic congestion in the city can reduce up to a point,” said a source.

Those associated with the tourism sector also welcomed the decision.

“The system was earlier implemented in Delhi. In Gangtok, traffic jams are a major problem, especially during the tourist season. We hope the odd-even system proves to be effective in the Sikkim capital and traffic movement on the highway improves,” said Samrat Sanyal, general secretary of the Himalayan Hospitality and Tourism Development Network.