'81 pc people support road curbs'

Over 2 lakh people responded to Delhi government’s phone calls seeking feedback on odd-even car curbs, as per a survey conducted by the government.

The Kejriwal government made nearly 10 lakh automated calls, besides inviting suggestions through website, missed call and mohalla sabhas. Overall 81 per cent of people have supported the government’s ambition drive to reduce congestion and clean up city’s air.

The government had launched many of its surveys in the last fortnight.
Over 40,000 denizens participated in mohalla sabhas organised by MLAs to gauge public opinion on having second round of odd-even car curbs in Delhi. All, save Vishwas Nagar ward number 225, mohall sabhas supported the Delhi

government’s decision bring in second phase of the road rationing drive.
Majority of people voted for reintroduction of odd-even formula from February 14. However, the government decided to enforce car curbs between April 15 and April 30, giving more time to enforcement agencies to gear up.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the government will hire contract carriages to meet the shortfall of buses like the previous time.

According to the government, the denizens demanded scrapping of some categories of vehicle exemptions. While 80.76 per cent of people participating in public meetings want “medical emergencies” category scrapped, 68.85 per cent want the government to do away with exemption for vehicles of persons with disability.

Over 48 per cent want government to lift exemptions on vehicles of “SPG protectees, pilot and escort vehicles”.

Through emails, the government has also received suggestions such as announcing exemption for cars with four or more passengers and giving 20 per cent of challan collections to enforcement agencies as honorarium.

Some have even complained about overcharging by app-based taxi hailing apps such as Uber and Ola.

Defending government’s plan of reintroducing car curbs, Kejriwal said the odd-even car formula will prevent people from getting behind the wheels for no more than six days. With all exemptions in place, the road rationing scheme between January 1 and January 15 disqualified nearly 10 lakh private cars from playing on Delhi roads.

The scheme bars private cars from roads on alternate days, except Sundays.