Despite odd-even, Delhi faces heavy traffic

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other Delhi cabinet ministers had to face traffic rush while reaching to the office on Monday. Kejriwal and other ministers carpooled for reaching offices.

Traffic police says heavy traffic due to office rush was seen at ITO and near Akshardham in the morning hours, especially after 9am. Delhi Traffic police has issued almost 1,800 challans for violating the odd-even rule till Monday. According to the police, New Delhi district and east district saw highest number of people challaned for violating the rules.

A senior traffic police official said people are following the rules largely and Monday had very less number of challans than as expected by the cops. “It seems that everyone is cooperating as there is not very high number of challans issued by us. But we have asked cops to take action against people who are trying to violate rules. Also our focus is on traffic management as well,” he said.

On the other side, DTC and cluster buses were packed with passengers on some routes in Burari, Uttam Nagar and other areas. Metro has increased its trips to accommodate more passengers during the scheme. As Monday was the first full working day since the scheme was implemented, the Delhi government has also deployed district magistrates, SDMs, ADMs and tehisaldars to prosecute violators of the odd-even rules.

Besides, 210 teams of enforcement wing of the transport department and 2,000 traffic police have also been deployed on the Capital’s roads to prosecute errant drivers.

Unlike the scheme’s pilot phase, in which the focus was more on awareness and voluntary compliance, the government has cracked the whip on violators this time, with over 2,300 challans issued in the first two days against 479 during the same period in the previous phase between January 1-15.

The rules, whose violation attracts a penalty of Rs 2,000 under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, are applicable between 8am and 8pm, except on Sundays. On Sunday night, Delhi Autorickshaw Sangh and Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union withdrew their call for strike on Monday after the city government gave them a written assurance that their demands would be fulfilled.

In the second phase from April 15-30, the government added to its exemption list people driving with school children in uniform.