Odd-even scheme: 2,000 additional buses deployed, metro to conduct 61 more trips

The Delhi government is all set to implement the 12-day odd-even road rationing scheme from Monday, with the deployment of 2,000 additional buses and 61 more trips by metro to cater to commuters in the national capital. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who held a review meeting with senior government officials, has asked them to ensure that no person faces inconvenience due to the odd-even scheme.

According to the government, advisories have also been issued to cab aggregators like Ola, Uber to not surge prices during the scheme, and to autorickshaws and e-rickshaws to avoid over-charging from commuters. A person violating the odd-even rules will have to cough up Rs 4,000 against the earlier Rs 2,000 during the previous editions of the odd-even scheme. The violations will be booked under the Motor Vehicle Act.

Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), tehsildars, traffic police, transport department, and assistant traffic inspector teams will be able to levy fines on the violators this year during the implementation of the odd-even scheme from November 4 to 15. "The most significant measure has been taken by the Delhi Transport Corporation, in which 2,000 additional buses will be engaged for the public commute...All cluster buses will also be deployed along with the entire fleet of DTC buses," the statement said.

Besides, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will conduct 61 additional trips and a total of 5,100 trips through 294 trains and will display electronic messages on the odd-even scheme at various metro stations. "To ensure the smooth functioning of all the metro lines and trains, 35 teams will be deployed at all the major metro stations. Additional manpower will also be deployed to manage the ticketing system due to the increasing inflow of people during the odd-even implementation," the statement said.

Around 300 traffic inspectors and assistant traffic inspectors (ATI) will be deployed in two shifts during the odd-even drive. The ATIs and revenue department officials will issue challans to the violators of the scheme as well as ensure proper enforcement of the schemes at the 200 locations identified by the Delhi Transport Department.

The government said that a special training program was conducted for traffic inspectors, ATI and revenue department officials of the DTC from October 30 to 31 as directed by Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot. The challan books, receipts books, and guidelines have been issued to the DTC officials during the training program.

Meanwhile, the government also decided to stagger working hours of its offices during the odd-even scheme, a move aimed at reducing traffic congestion and pollution in the city. However, private offices in the city will not come under the government order, with Kejriwal at a press conference saying this is the first experiment of staggered office timings, but next time the AAP dispensation will consider the same for them.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)