Vehicles with children, two-wheelers exempted from Delhi's odd-even scheme

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said private vehicles ferrying schoolchildren in uniform will be exempted from the odd-even road-rationing scheme that will be effective from November 4-15.

He said two wheelers will also be exempted under the scheme under which vehicles having odd and even last digits of registration numbers are allowed to run on alternate days.

The chief minister announced that he and his ministers and officers of his government will not be exempted from the odd-even formula.

"Private vehicles ferrying schoolchildren in uniform will be exempted from the odd-even scheme," Kejriwal told reporters.

Such vehicles, however, will be allowed only during school timings.

Two-wheelers will also be exempted under the scheme. Violations of the rule will be punished with a fine of Rs 4,000, which was earlier Rs 2,000.

The restriction will be implemented from 8 AM to 8 PM everyday, except on Sundays. It will also be applicable to vehicles entering Delhi from other states.

The list of exempted people include the president, vice president, prime minister, Union ministers, Lok Sabha speaker, deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha and speaker of Lok Sabha, leaders of opposition in both Houses, governors, chief justices and judges of the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court.

Chairman of UPSC, chief election commissioner and commissioners of Election Commission of India, CAG vehicles, vehicles of state election commission, Delhi and Chandigarh, and vehicles deployed by the commission with election observers, returning officers, assistant returning vehicles and security vehicles, are also included in the list.

Emergency, enforcement, defence, paramilitary and embassy vehicles will also be exempted, the chief minister said.

Kejriwal said vehicles being used in medical emergency will be exempted.

The government has announced that vehicles driven by women accompanied with children up to age 12, and those carrying physically disabled persons will be exempted.

Private CNG vehicles will be banned during the scheme.

The chief minister said an expert has been appointed to suggest staggered office timings during operation of the scheme. Report of the expert is expected soon.