BEIJING: More than a million cars will be taken off the streets of China’s capital for four days this month, state media said on Thursday, amid mounting concern over pollution during next year’s Beijing Olympics.

Air quality would be monitored during the four days, state television reported, in a possible test-drive of traffic-reduction measures for the games.

From Aug 17 to 20, only taxis and buses will be allowed on the streets as usual, with special vehicles, such as ambulances and police cars, according to the report.

All other vehicles would be curbed, with cars carrying even-numbered licence plates allowed on the roads every other day, and those with odd-numbered ones permitted to run on the remaining days, it said.About 1.3 million cars would be banned every day during the measure, the report said.

The initiative was announced a day after International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said events could be rescheduled at the games if pollution was extremely bad.—AFP