Govt likely to bring in car curbs again

But with no exemptions this time

Delhi government on Sunday urged Delhiites to gear up for ‘no exemption’ odd-even car curbs in future.

The Arvind Kejriwal’s cabinet is mulling over reintroduction of the odd-even formula in February, according to a government insider. The 15-day pilot project for rationing of road space ended on January 15.

Future of the odd-even plan will be decided in a Kejriwal-headed assessment meeting on Monday. The entire Delhi cabinet and enforcement agencies will participate in the 3 pm meeting. 

“The odd-even policy will be implemented without exemptions,” Transport Minister Gopal Rai said, while addressing a government-organised odd-even thanksgiving event at Chhatrasal Stadium.

The drastic car curbs had a host of exemptions, including female drivers, two-wheelers and taxis.

Rai promised time-bound facelift for public transport in Delhi – which he described as “inadequate”. He said the government will add 1,000 buses to Delhi Transport Corporation fleet after July. During the road rationing experiment, the Corporation had added contract carriages to its fleet to meet the shortfall buses.

He said the Arvind Kejriwal government will also introduce passenger information system and common mobility card to make travelling in buses more convenient. The government also plans to appoint bus marshals on all DTC buses by the end of 2016.

Subsidy to e-rickshaws will be increased to Rs 30,000 from Rs 15,000, Gopal Rai said, claiming that the move will expedite the registration of battery-operated rickshaws, which he said is important for providing the “last-mile connectivity”.

“Cars are major reason for congestion in the city,” Rai said, claiming that the odd-even trail made the roads congestion-free.

“We will make cyclists heroes. As you know, first time in Delhi Secretariat, a Chief Minister came riding a bicycle,” Rai added. Earlier, the AAP government had announced subsidising cycles using odd-even challan collection. Violators coughed up Rs 2,000 as fine, as per the odd-even rule.