The Delhi government said the success of odd-even formula rests with the Delhiites, even as it accused the BJP of engineering a mass leave by DANICS-cadre officials. Some 40 officers meant to be part of the odd-even drill on Thursday were protesting action against their colleagues for allegedly not signing cabinet notes.
Transport Minister Gopal Rai said the daylong strike was a deliberate attempt to derail the odd-even trail. “If there is a need to fight pollution in Delhi, people should know that the drive’s success or failure rests on their shoulders,” he said.
“BJP and Congress have an old mindset. They have to reinvent to face new challenges,” the minister said at a press conference here.
Starting from Friday, the government will begin its 15-day long odd-even car curbs, which is part of the Arvind Kejriwal government’s initiatives to tackle deteriorating air quality in the capital.
According to the government, the trail run on Thursday was carried out at between 9 and 11 am at 200 points across the city. Rai said it was part of a coordination exercise among various government agencies.
He added that the drill was organised to creating awareness about the road-rationing scheme. Six permanent monitoring stations, twenty manual machines and one special van will keep a tab on air pollution levels across the city. Around 50 teams of Transport Department and 40 teams headed by sub divisional magistrates will be deployed to check violations during the odd-even trial.
“Traffic police will be at 200 spots. They will be deployed some distance away from the red lights – a place where stopping vehicles for check will not disrupt traffic – to challan people,” Rai said. Violators will have to cough up a fine of Rs 2,000.
Two hundred teams of civil defence volunteers will also assist Delhi Police in implementing the odd-even scheme. But they will not be allowed to stop cars. “They will give flowers to people who violators at red lights,” Rai said, adding that their main responsibility will be to “create awareness”.
The government said it achieved the target of registering 3,000 private vehicles – which consists 1,800 school buses and 1,200 contract carriages. Besides this, the Delhi Transport Corporation-run 1,000 school buses will also be roped in to strengthen the public transport system.
Delhi schools will reopen after the trail ends on January 15. Metro is setting up 29 teams to ensure better punctuality. Rai said the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has agreed to make 365 additional trips during the odd-even car curbs.
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