Odd-Even 2.0: With First Working Day, Real Test For Plan Today

New Delhi: The real test for the second phase of the odd-even scheme in the national capital will be today, the first working day since the road-rationing measure was rolled out in the city on April 15.

All offices, schools and other institutions will reopen today after the extended weekend. The second phase of the scheme was rolled out on the day of Ram Navami, a public holiday, followed by the weekend.

Unlike the scheme's pilot phase, in which the focus was more on awareness and voluntary compliance, the government has cracked the whip on violators this time, with over 2,300 challans issued in the first two days as against 479 during the same period in the previous phase between January 1-15.

Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai also met senior police and transport department officials for discussing necessary arrangements to tackle any problems arising out of the strike when only even numbered vehicles, barring exempted categories, can be on the roads.

Under the fortnight-long scheme, private cars having odd registration numbers can ply only on odd dates and the even numbers on even dates, subject to a set of exemptions, which include VIPs, women, school going children, medical emergencies, commercial vehicles and CNG cars.

The rules, whose violation attract a penalty of Rs 2,000 under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, are applicable between 8 am and 8 pm, except on Sundays.

In the second phase from April 15-30, the government added into its exemption list people driving with school children in uniform.

However, the government has not been able to arrive at a solution to the problem of cars returning after dropping school children or heading towards the schools in the afternoon hours to pick them up, and suggested car-pooling.