Gadkari assures 'full support' to odd-even scheme

Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday assured his "full support" to Delhi's second phase of the odd-even traffic scheme to be implemented from April 15 to 30.

He gave the assurance to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal when the latter called on the union minister and urged him to back the scheme aimed at battling pollution.

Gadkari assured "full support" to the Delhi government in the fight against pollution, a Delhi government official told IANS.

The minister also said the central government would invest Rs.30,000 crore to decongest the National Capital Region (NCR).

Gadkari said eight elevated roads would be built to directly connect Ring Road with NCR, the official said.

Kejriwal, accompanied by Delhi's Transport Minister Gopal Rai, also urged Gadkari to extend the last date for registration of e-rickshaws by six months. The last date was March 31.

"The chief minister discussed several issues with Gadkari including odd-even and extension of date for registration of e-rickshaws. He also sought Gadkari's support to improve the traffic situation," said the official.

Under the odd-even scheme, petrol and diesel driven vehicles with odd registration numbers will ply on odd dates and those with even registration numbers on even dates.

The scheme is not applicable to CNG vehicles, two-wheelers, women motorists, cars carrying school children in uniform and several kinds of VIPs.