Delhi Govt appeals to residents to follow new traffic rule

Delhi government is all set to roll out its ambitious odd-even scheme today, as final touches are being given to preparations ahead of its first such road-rationing experiment.

Transport Minister Gopal Rai appealed to Delhiites to make the scheme a success as the move will clear the city's polluted air for children, and said despite the alleged "conspiracy" by the BJP, it will be "successful".

Besides, pressing into service 3,000 additional buses, the government has issued two helplines - 011-42400400 and 011-41400400 - for people to register their complaints and suggestion in connection with the scheme.

200 teams of Delhi Traffic Police, 66 enforcement teams of transport department and 40 teams of sub-divisional magistrates will be deployed tomorrow to ensure strict implementation of the scheme.

As per the traffic restriction plan, odd-numbered cars will be allowed to run on odd dates while even-numbered vehicles can only ply on even dates.

Motorists will have to cough up Rs 2,000 for violating odd-even rules. Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi appreciated the Arvind Kejriwal government's ambitious plan and assured "100 per cent commitment" in its strict implementation.

"200 teams of civil defence volunteers will be deployed at 200 locations. 45 teams of DTC, 29 teams of DMRC, 15 teams of DIMTS have been formed to ensure adequate arrangements for providing better public transport service.

"Volunteers will not stop any moving vehicles, instead they would



only offer a rose to violators at traffic intersections to not to violate the odd-even rules," Rai said.

He also said that apart from DTC's 4,600 buses and 1,400 cluster buses (orange line), Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) will run 3,000 additional private buses, including of 1,800 school buses, to accomodate extra rush of commuters during the 15-day-long scheme. Delhi Metro will also increase frequency of its trains. 

Delhi government has asked various agencies, including the DMRC and the civic bodies, asking them to allow in their parking lots only odd-numbered cars on odd dates and vice versa.

The transport minister said that Twitter has also supported the government's ambitious plan and would provide update information about bus and metro routes.

"Government will run 60 buses for Noida and Gurgaon each. They will ply between Gurgaon and Noida covering several parts of Delhi like Dhaula Kuan. Special buses will be plied from Rohini to Noida, Uttam Nagar to Noida, Dwarka to Noida and Punjabi Bagh to Noida, Rohini to Gurgaon, Nehru Place to cater to commuters," the minister said.

Twitter will help commuters find information about bus routes, Metro, autorickshaws during the road-rationing experiment.

Twitter users can get details of public transport available in particular areas by tweeting #pollutionfreeDelhi followed by the departure and destination point. Twitter will instantly send users real-time public transport updates pertaining to the area.