For the residents and visitors of Delhi, the New Year has started with the implementation of the odd-even scheme that restricts the use of odd number cars to odd number dates and even cars on even dates.
“Overwhelmed” by the response of the people to the odd-even experiment, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said that the pilot initiative of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has turned “into a movement”. Kejriwal’s comments came two hours after the commencement of the radical scheme.
The chief minister said that as per initial reports, the plan has been “quite successful” and people in the national capital have largely accepted the restrictions with an “open mind”.
“I repeatedly said that the scheme will meet with success only when people embrace it and not though force. It has become a movement and we are truly overwhelmed by the response we have received so far. Delhi will show way to the rest of the country,” Kejriwal told reporters outside his residence.
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who reached the secretariat in his official car bearing odd-number registration plate, echoed the chief minister’s observation saying that people have adopted the initiative as their “own mission. And government is merely assisting them. So this is the ideal situation.”
Kejriwal shared his car with transport minister Gopal Rai and health minister Satyender Jain. They live in North Delhi’s Civil Lines area. Tourism minister Kapil Mishra reached the secretariat on his two-wheeler at around 9am and tweeted, “Wow Delhi Thank you for making #OddEvenFormula a success...just reached office on bike.. no traffic.. Delhi is following it voluntarily.”
Two-wheelers are included in the list of 25 categories that have been kept out of the ambit of the scheme.
Delhi government has launched two helplines 011-42400400 and 011-41400400 for queries and clarifications. The government has also tied up with Twitter to provide real-time updates for routes. To get updates one needs to send a direct message or tweet to @transportdelhi for help and route options.
The government has also introduced 3,000 extra buses. During these 15 days, metro services across the capital will ply on high frequency.
The scheme is applicable from 8am to 8pm from Monday to Saturday.
(PTI)
