Delhi govt to go for staggered office timings Odd-even in Ggm if air quality ‘severe+’
Govt offices will work during different hours on odd-even days; exact timings still being mulled over with experts
ket rule across the city. He has instead proposed “location-specific” change in timings — that is, timings will be depending on traffic congestion in a particular area where the office is.
To augment public transport during the odd-even drive, transport minister Kailash Gahlot said the government will engage 2,000 private buses to handle the additional load. The state government will pay them ₹50 per kilometer.
“The routes will be aligned in such a way that office-goers who are following the staggered timing will also be able to board the bus,” he said. He added that busy markets such as Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, Karol Bagh and even a few industrial areas have been identified and that the study is still on.
KEJRIWAL PRAISE FOR CENTRE, MCDS
Stating that he is “not interested in pointing fingers at others at a time when people are suffering due to pollution,” Kejriwal on Saturday lauded the efforts of the Bjp-ruled central government and the city’s municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDS).
“In Delhi, all agencies and departments have worked together because of which pollution in the city has started to reduce today. The central government built the eastern and western peripheral expressways. The MCDS and Delhi government raided and fined construction sites flouting pollution norms. In some areas, the civic bodies have started mechanical sweeping, though it needs to be scaled up. The Delhi government too has taken a lot of efforts,” said the chief minister.
He stated that the smoke from stubble burning in neighbouring states has started reaching Delhi because of which air quality has started deteriorating. The onus, however, he said was on the governments.
“Farmers cannot be blamed for burning their stubble because they need to prepare for the next crop cycle. It is the
Surge pricing by app-based cab aggregators will be allowed only up to 1.5 times during odd-even, else action will be taken
5,000 civil defence volunteers to be deployed for awareness, traffic management and request violators to go back home and use public transport
2,000 private buses to be engaged responsibility of governments to provide the technology that is now easily available to the farmers. I appeal to the concerned governments to help the farmers. The Centre will have to take the lead on this. Efforts by individuals cannot succeed,” Kejriwal said.
MEGA LASER SHOW IN CONNAUGHT PLACE
To dissuade people from bursting crackers, the Delhi government will organise a mega Diwali laser show between October 26 and 29 at Connaught Place, Kejriwal said. “In order to encourage people to not burst crackers this Diwali, the Delhi government is organising a mega laser show in Connaught Place between October 26-29 from 7 p.m. onwards. I invite all of Delhi to enjoy the laser show,” said the chief minister. Delhi govt office-timings will be staggered during drive. Offices such as the Delhi Development Authority that are under the central government likely to follow suit Advisories will be issued for private companies and industries to follow, although it will not be binding
Laser show at Connaught Place to encourage people not to burst crackers this Diwali Private CNG vehicles: Not exempted, as govt observed that the CNG stickers were sold in the black market and misused.
Commercial CNG vehicles: Exempted
Women drivers: Exempted but with conditions: only women in the vehicle OR women drivers with children below 12 years of age. Two-wheelers: Final decision pending; Transport department suggested exemption of two-wheelers from the odd-even drive during peak hours.
Delhi government officials and ministers:
Not exempted
Two-wheelers do pollute more and we believe they should not be exempted from odd-even. But, at the same time, given the number of two-wheelers in Delhi, it is impractical to take half of them off the roads. Delhi doesn't have such a large amount of vacant capacity in our public transport to be able to do that. GURUGRAM: The odd-even vehicle rationing scheme could be implemented in Gurugram when the air quality in the city deteriorates to the “severe+ or Emergency” category, confirmed district authorities on Friday.
Deputy commissioner Amit Khatri said, “We are not ruling out the possibility of implementing the scheme in Gurugram on days with extreme pollution. Its implementation could likely be similar to the scheme in Delhi.”
Actions recommended under “severe+ or Emergency” category include odd-even scheme and stopping all construction activities, among others.
In a letter dated October 9 to all departments and authorities in Gurugram, detailing the guidelines and directions to check the worsening of the air quality index (AQI), the deputy commissioner asked the transport department to take action and implement the odd-even scheme “when the PM2.5 levels cross 300 ug/m3 or PM10 levels cross 500 ug/m3 (five times above the standard) and persist for 48 hours or more”.
Last month, when the Delhi government had decided to implement the scheme this year, authorities in Gurugram had ruled out the possibility of it being implemented here due to the poor public transport system.
At a meeting last month, the EPCA had asked Delhi and its neighbouring states to start enforcing the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) from October 15.
According to officials, a meeting will be held next week to decide on details of the odd-even scheme. “So far, we haven’t devised a concrete plan on implementing the scheme but it will likely be for private vehicles and will have certain exemptions on which we are working,” Imran Raza, secretary, regional transport authority, said.
He said the department would also work on strengthening public transport in the city, and that more forms of public transport could be brought in if the scheme is implemented. Raza added that the department is yet to discuss the details for the same.