Fewer violations, less chaos: Third round of odd-even starts smoothly
Kejriwal said ‘almost 100%’ compliance; later credits lower pollution on Monday to the road space rationing drive
NEWDELHI: The third edition of the odd-even road space rationing drive saw fewer prosecutions on Monday compared to the first day of the previous arrangement in April, 2016. While chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced there was “almost 100% obedience” to the rule by the public, he and his cabinet colleagues too participated in the arrangement by reaching office through car pooling or using public transport.
On Monday, the first day of odd-even 3.0, enforcement agencies issued 271 challans till 8pm, when the drive ended. The Delhi government said since it was the first day of the drive, officials were asked to go soft on violators and instead make them understand about the rule.
To encourage carpooling during the drive, Kejriwal gave up his odd-numbered official vehicle to reach Delhi Secretariat in state urban development minister Satyendar Jain’s car – which ends with an even number. Labour minister Gopal Rai also joined them, while deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia cycled from his residence at Mathura
Road to the Secretariat in ITO. Transport and environment minister Kailash Gahlot used his OSD’S vehicle to carry out inspections across the city. Gahlot was also seen holding placards with civil defence volunteers on the Ring Road to make people aware of the scheme. Social welfare minister Rajendra Pal Gautam took the metro to work.
As part of the scheme, oddnumbered private cars will ply on odd dates and those with even number plates will ply on even days. The drive, which exempts two-wheelers and cars driven by women or carrying only women passengers and vehicles carrying school children, will continue till November 15, barring Sundays.
People, however, stood divided about the benefits of the drive. A number of people supported the odd-even rule calling it “an emergency measure in the apocalyptic air of Delhi”. Some others said that it would have little impact as the kilometers run by a vehicle or a cab would have increased manifold in the absence of half of Delhi’s private cars.
Endorsing the initiative, Kejriwal the drive was necessary to curb local sources of pollution. “Since we cannot do anything to prevent the pollution caused by external factors (stubble burning), we are doing everything we can to reduce the internal pollution in Delhi. We are implementing the odd-even scheme to decrease vehicular emissions across Delhi. Only 15 lakh cars out of a total of 30 lakh cars will be running on city roads,” he said.
Later in the evening, Sisodia credited the odd-even drive for reduction in pollution levels in the city’s air. “Comparing to the previous days, Delhi’s air quality improved significantly today. We know that there are many factors determining the increase and decrease in pollution. Undoubtedly, the odd-even scheme also is a factor for this improvement,” the deputy chief minister said.
“Yesterday, the air quality index was measured up to between 1200 and 1600 as per data from government and other sources. Though indices differed, average was 800. In the morning on Monday, the PM 2.5 levels was 562; and in the afternoon at 02:00 pm it was 152. As per the latest reports it is 93,” he explained. (November 4, 2019)