MANILA – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Monday said the suspension of “window hours” under the number coding scheme will begin on October 17, instead of the original October 31 schedule.

The Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (i-ACT) and the Metro Manila Council (MMC) have also agreed to conduct a dry run of the policy from Wednesday, October 12, to Friday, October 14.

The DOTr said the suspension of the window hours will only run from October 17, 2016 to January 31, 2017.

The policy shall be implemented on EDSA, C-5, Roxas Boulevard, Alabang - Zapote Road, and in Mandaluyong City. Currently, cities of Makati and Las Piñas do not also implement window hours.

During the window hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., vehicles affected by the number coding scheme are allowed to traverse Metro Manila’s major thoroughfare. The number coding scheme is implemented from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Friday.

The worsening traffic situation in the metropolis and the expected heavy traffic during the holidays prompted transportation officials to consider suspending the window hours.

Philippine National Police – Highway Patrol Group spokesperson Supt. Elizabeth Velasquez said no ticket will be issued to violators of the no window hours policy during the October 12-14 dry run.

And when the policy begins its implementation on October 17, vehicles which will just cross EDSA and other thoroughfares will still be exempted from apprehension, Velasquez said.