Improved version of odd-even scheme soon: Kejriwal

The second phase will 'include all' towards which the Delhi government has already started working

An improved version of the ‘odd- even’ scheme, with necessary “precautions and changes”, will be announced and “implemented soon” in the national capital, city chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday and thanked the people for their “overwhelming” support to the initiative.

Addressing a rally on the “grand success” of the pilot road-rationing scheme, Kejriwal said the experiment saw nearly “100 per cent” participation by Delhiites.

Transport Minister Gopal Rai, who also spoke at the event, said the scheme in its second phase will “include all” towards which the government has already started “working”.

Kejriwal also praised Chief Justice of India TS Thakur, who car-pooled to office during the implementation of the scheme. He said Thakur’s decision to carpool “inspired lakhs and crores of people”.

“Tomorrow, there is a meeting with different departments to understand the problems that the scheme faced. In the coming days an announcement will be made to improve the scheme with precautions and changes which will be implemented soon,” Kejriwal added.

“Nearly 20 lakh cars used to be on the roads daily during the duration of the scheme, but number of challans were ranged between 100 and 500. This is nothing. This means, almost 100 per cent of the people of Delhi followed odd-even and it became a movement.

The event was marred by an ink attack on Kejriwal triggering angry reactions from the AAP government, which alleged a BJP conspiracy behind the attack and assailed the police for a “major” security lapse. The woman was identified as Bhavna Arora, a resident of west Delhi.

1,000 new buses
In order to boost the city's public transport system, the government has decided to run 1,000 new air-conditioned low-foor buses on a public-private partnership (PPP) model in the national capital. A proposal has been prepared by the transport department and will be brought before the Cabinet meeting later this month.

“Government has decided to run 1,000 AC low-floor buses on PPP model. DTC will operate these buses. 1,000 AC buses will start coming on roads from July this year,”  Gopal Rai said.