Odd-Even: CM seeks transport dept's views on exemption to women, two wheelers, CNG vehicles
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday sought the transport department's views on exemption to women, two wheelers and CNG-run vehicles in the odd-even scheme which will be implemented during the November 4-15 period.
Like the last two editions of the road-rationing scheme in 2016, the government may exempt all these categories this year as well, sources in the transport department said
The transport department has been asked to respond within three days after reviewing several aspects including the current capacity of the public transport network, they said, adding the government will take a decision on exemptions after studying the department's views.
Delhi government had decide to re-introduce the odd-even scheme, aimed at combating air pollution which is aggravated due to stubble burning in neighbouring states during winters.
According to a government statement, Kejriwal directed the department to consider the exemption to women as given earlier and and share its views.
During the 12-day scheme, vehicles will ply alternately on odd and even dates as per their registration numbers.
It stated that in 2016, the rationale was that women in Delhi feel a sense of security in their own vehicles for travelling and should be permitted to take the safest mode of transport.
In the previous edition of the scheme, all two-wheelers had been exempted from the alternate day bar on plying on the roads.
The latest estimate for the number of two-wheelers that ply in Delhi is over 70 lakh. If two wheelers are not exempted, it will lead to over 35 lakh persons, other than lakhs of pillion riders, to switch to public transport every day, the statement stated.
"The chief minister has asked the department to review the current capacity of the public transport network and state its views on whether or not two wheelers should be exempt this year," it said.
On exemption to CNG-run vehicles, the government said that their emissions are substantially less polluting than diesel or petrol vehicles.
The CM is concerned that the scheme may fail to achieve its purpose if people bypass the restrictions by using wrongfully procured CNG stickers to evade punishment.
"He has asked the department to formulate a position on this matter after duly considering views of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) and officials involved in the distribution of CNG stickers," it stated.
The department should consider whether there is any foolproof way of identifying genuine CNG vehicles and in the absence of such a methodology, what are the views of the department on the exemption granted to CNG vehicles, it stated.
The chief minister believes that there is a need to balance the goals for which odd-even scheme is being implemented with the genuine needs of some segments of the population that use private vehicle.
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