In an effort to curb toxic air pollution in the National Capital, the Delhi government has re-implemneted the car rationing scheme, aka Odd-Even scheme, from Monday. This time around the government has come up with full preparedness of public transport to meet any exigency for the relief of commuters.
On the first day of the 12-day timebound scheme, only cars with even number - O,2, 4, 6, 8 – are allowed to ply on roads. However, the scheme did not get as much responce as was expected as the cars with odd numbers - 1,3 5, 7,9 – could still be found plying almost on every road.
Along with Delhi traffic police, civil defence personel deployed by the Delhi government at every juncture were seen requesting drivers not to drive odd number cars. Traffic police personnel deployed at Delhi-Noida link road say people from neighbouring cities of Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad have shown scant responce to the scheme.
Video Courtesy - Akash Mishra and Samrat Roy
To make the scheme a success, the government has introduced a fine of Rs 4,000 for violation of the set of norms under the scheme. However, the traffic police decided not to issue challans against those found driving wrong number cars.
To ascertain the public responce to the scheme on its first day, CitySpidey visited several intersections at Laxmi Nagar, Delhi-Noida border, ITO, Pragati Maidan, Connaught Place among others. We found the odd number cars plying on roads unhindered.
A traffic police officer deplayed at Laxmi Nagar said, "Today being the first day, we are content with convincing the people to follow the odd-even rule. We stop every car bearing odd number, but rather than imposing a fine we prefer to let them off with a request to follow the rule hence forth.
“However,” he sounded warning, “from Tuesday, we will spare none. We shall start fining anyone found volating the rule."
Talking to CitySpidey, Seema, a young woman serving as a civil defence at Delhi-Noida link road, said, "When we try to convince those found voilating the rule, some don't even care to listen to us."
Though the Delhi government has added more buses to its public transport fleet to ease commuting, people in many parts of the city complained that they had to wait hours at end at bus stops.
As a matter of fact the Odd-Even scheme was surrounded by controversies during its first and second rounds in January 2016 and in November 2017 respectively. The third round too is not without a controvery. Even before the start of the scheme this time around, the opposition political parties in Delhi had started writing it off.
